Caged
by EHaynes
Summary: Midoriya's dark past threatens to crush her innermost desire - to become a hero. Can class 1-A help her get over her inner turmoil? Plot divergence fairly early on. Some relationships and characters have been altered. Genderbended MC. Powered up version of Midoriya. Slowmance.
1. Rocky Start

A/N: This was recently rewritten. I'm still not a huge fan of it, though. Most of my later chapters feel much more realized and put together.

~1/29/20.

* * *

All Might and Midoriya surveyed Dagobah Beach. It had long since been returned to its former glory. The beachhead had served as the perfect training ground, and allowed Midoriya to more than get a feel for using One For All in all manner of situations.

They stood engrossed in their conversation. The height difference between them was almost comical - almost two and a half feet from one head to another. Their conversation was quiet and clipped, despite no other soul being visible in any direction. It was still dusk on the day before the UA entrance exam. Toshinori knelt down to look at his young protégé eye to eye, a hand going to her shoulder.

"You're sure you're set on doing this? If you somehow do fail... " The greenette before him tensed, looking down at the ground. Her long hair forming a curtain that hid her face. "It will be hard to explain away failing the entrance exam, while also getting accepted through recommendations. And we both kn-" A quiet voice cut him off.

"So I won't fail. I can… manage that much." Her cold tone left no room for argument. Her mind was made up.

Toshinori could see her small frame shaking almost imperceptibly. He knew her well enough to pick up on when she was truly angry. He moved his hand from her shoulder and brushed some hair behind her ear. Their eyes met. Hers were damp. His expression softened, mouth turning up into a small smile.

"I know you won't. You wouldn't accept anything less than perfection." He wrapped his lanky arms around her small frame, pulling her into a hug. She reciprocated, burying her face into his chest. He could hear her sniffling quietly. They stayed like this for some time before separating. They moved over to a bench a few feet away that faced the shoreline, taking a seat next to one another. He watched her, twiddling her thumbs with her eyes clamped shut. She wiped her eyes with her sleeve, before turning to him.

Having calmed down, she turned to look at him with a fierce expression. It spoke to the countless emotions running through her. Without a sound she jumped up and grabbed the railing in front of them. They remained like this, a comfortable silence washing over them as they watched the sunrise sparkle off of the restored coastline. Neither of them knew how long they stayed like this, neither cared. Finally she spoke, still looking away from him.

"No matter what happens, even if I'm not attending UA. I will make you proud." Small wisps of green electricity were visible around her small hands as she gripped the metal bar with increased pressure. The #1 Hero looked at her with an unreadable expression, a mix of pride, admiration, and something else…

"Of course you will. I've no doubt. We've both worked too hard to get to where we are now." She turned to him, quickly approaching and wrapping her arms around his neck. His massive hand cupped the back of her head, holding her close. "Now go. Jogging the rest of the way will get you there with time to spare, and serve as a basic warm up." She broke out of the embrace, moving the other part of her long hair behind her other ear. Her face, now visible, radiated confidence and determination. With a small wave, she began jogging in the direction of UA High.

He watched her until she was out of sight, before turning to look out at the beach once more. His heart swelled with pride whenever he laid eyes on the beautiful beach. He never could've anticipated her finishing cleaning the entire beach as quickly as she did. Locals had returned to the spot after seeing it returned to its former glory, now free of pollution and garbage. As he stood to leave, his eyes darted to where the small girl had gripped the railing.

The outline of her grip was visible, forever imprinted into the bar of steel. His brows furrowed and his eyes lowered. His voice was heavy, laced with many emotions as he lamented "Oh young Midoriya… I wish there was more I could do to help. Your physical progression has far exceeded everyone's expectations. But your mind proved to require far more than we initially thought necessary."

He thought back to what he knew of her troubled past, and what Nezu had told him of their sessions together. Nezu had spent a long while helping Midoriya hone her battle strategy and planning, but after she appeared to plateau in her training, they also began meeting to address some of her potential mental blocks. Regulating her thoughts, especially in the moment, was incredibly important.

Having a sound mind in everyday life allows the individual to learn and practice better. Realizing the importance, she eventually relented; willing to go through anything if it would help her become a better hero. That sentiment was what worried both Nezu and Toshinori. With her, everything was framed as to whether or not it would contribute to her growth as a budding hero. She had yet to fully appreciate the other aspects of growth she was going through as an adolescent.

* * *

Mr. Present Mic was currently going over the basic rules once again over a loudspeaker. A large group of UA-hopefuls had gathered outside of an absurdly large gate. The instructions for the UA entrance exam were quite simple. Destroy robots. Acquire points.

That seemed off to her though... What about non-physical quirks? She sorted through her mental filing cabinet of pro heroes; many of them, despite having extremely potent quirks to fight villains with, would not be able to do well in the UA entrance exam. Ms. Joke was a perfect example. Her ability to combat and incapacitate human enemies was extremely potent, but she would be no more than a Quirkless person when pitched against faux villains like the ones they were now. Many had human-centric Quirks that would fail to perform in an exam like this. Were they aware of the flawed exam? Was there something she was missing? It couldn't only be based on combat points as Present Mic had let on. Right?

'Right?'

Her mind raced with many different questions before she realized she was alone. The large group that previously surrounded her had vanished. She saw the mob of people dashing into the exam grounds in front of her.

'Oh.'

Green electricity enveloped her body as she began sprinting full force.

'Full-Cowling, 12%!' She screamed. Her eyes ablaze, glowing as green as the electricity that surrounded her.

A crack was left in her wake, marking the spot she launched off of. Thinking back to just a few seconds earlier, she did hear Present Mic scream "Go!", but was too distracted in all her mental rambling. In no time at all she had caught up to the group of students. By her rough estimate there were about eighty people in the group. That made sense… the auditorium they were in could only house about 500 people, max. Briefly increasing Full-Cowling to 15%, Midoriya leaped over the charging crowd, her small form visible only for a split second before landing a good number of yards ahead of the rest.

'Now. Time to put my training to the test.'

Feeling she was a safe distance away, she increased to 22% power. Midoriya leaped from building to building, scouting the nearby city blocks for robots. Spotting a group of three-pointers, she changed her trajectory and took off towards them, slowly losing herself in the thrill of the moment. Nine points turned to twenty four. Twenty four to thirty nine. On she continued, jumping around at speeds any normal onlooker could barely follow.

* * *

In the Judges Room

'Hmm. Midoriya is doing as expected. She's already racked up fifty two points from the robot villains.'

Nezu rubbed his furry chin as he changed an overhead monitor to view a different student. "There are many promising candidates in this testing ground too…" He tapped a screen in front of him, a two-dimensional map of the testing ground appeared, orienting itself until it was centered on whichever student was on screen. White lights dotted the map, all moving around in erratic patterns. Red lights appeared and vanished at seemingly equal rates.

The test was designed to ensure there would always be a certain number of robots available to fight at any given moment. To the right, a graph updated in real time, showing various names and numbers. As the test continued the judges room remained largely quiet. The teachers only occasionally conversing to discuss smaller acts of heroism, awarding small amount of rescue points here and there.

Rescue points were weighted slightly higher than Villain points, due to the sensitive nature in which they were acquired. After all, messing up in a rescue operation could lead to property damage, physical or mental injuries, or worst of all; death.

Because of this, an individual rescue point was worth slightly more than the villain alternative. However due to them being awarded, typically, in small amounts, the system balanced out.

"The damage to the testing facility is quite high…" Cementoss sighed. "This years batch of students seem to want to give me the most work possible." Quiet chuckles echoed off the walls of the small room. The UA faculty continued to enjoy the show before them, making comments occasionally on students who caught their eye.

* * *

Testing ground

"Hey! You stole that kill from me!" A girl with pink skin pointed an accusing finger at a blue haired man with unusually large calves.

"Did I? My apologies." He bowed deeply, his torso becoming parallel with the ground. "I'm sure the judges observing us will see that you deserve the points for that robot." Without sparing her a second glance, he sprinted off in a cloud of dust.

She watched him leave, annoyed that she couldn't give him a piece of her mind.

'Come on Mina. Worry about lip later.' Rolling her eyes, she tried to refocus on the task at hand.

She shook her head after slapping both sides of her face, her hair a complete mess. Sprinting down an alleyway, she came out into a block with no other student in sight. She got a sinking feeling in her stomach. Her eyes narrowed and darted up and down the block. It was truly empty, but besides the occasional sound from behind where she came from, everything was silent.

'Creepy. I'm not gonna take any chances.'

Acid flooded into her shoes, disintegrating the bottoms. She regulated the output from the bottoms of her feet to a constant pace, and began skating around the street. This allowed her to move at a full sprint's speed, but was far less taxing on her stamina. Turning onto a different avenue, she finally spotted what she'd been searching for.

'Bingo. A three pointer and a two pointer.'

Fortunately, both were facing away from her. Without a second thought she skated towards the two pointer while forming a ball with her hands. She pooled her acid in her palms, and once in range immediately launched a wave at the two pointers treads. The treads became nonfunctional after one link was broken, effectively immobilizing the robot.

'Good. Immobilized counts as defeated. That's two more points.'

The two pointer turned to face her, the noise of which alerted the three pointer to her presence. It swung its arms around in an attempt to smack her, but she danced around just outside of its reach. She circled around it, making sure to keep the three pointer on the other side of the two pointer at all times. She was fairly certain the three pointers had some kind of ranged weapon attack, considering the red glowing circle on their faces. This continued for a brief moment, maybe twenty seconds, before the three pointer stuck its head into the air and made a continuous humming sound.

'Backup? Not good, I still need to get the points from this big guy.'

Her panic increased slightly. The only way Ashido could effectively defeat these robots, due to their size and build, was by disabling their movement. Melting through them entirely with her acid would take too long, and wasn't feasible. The two pointers flailing was keeping her from lining up a good shot on the three pointer, who confirmed her suspicions of a ranged weapon. Seemingly finished with its call for help the three pointer shot red lasers at her, keeping her on dodging duty as she skated around. The red lasers it shot, only barely missing each time, left fist-sized craters in the concrete. She did NOT want to know what it feels like to get hit by one.

'All I'm doing is wasting time as we play ring-around the two pointer. I need to end this and move to a new area!'

She gathered more acid in her palms, and threw a globule in a large arc over the two pointer, aimed right for the head of the three pointer. Time froze in anticipation as she watched the gray fluid fly.

'Let this work!'

Her confidence shattered as the two pointer extended its long arm above itself, catching the globule and disintegrating the end of its arm. Even the robots at UA were capable of heroics, it seemed. Ashido screamed in anger as her plan was foiled.

'I need to break this pattern. I can't afford to spend another minute running around this two pointer.'

She skated further down the block, putting a good hundred feet between her and the two robots. The lasers seemingly had a max-range, as the three pointer no longer fired at her. She spun to face the two thorns in her side, trying to come up with a new plan. She didn't get long to think however, as three loud crashes shook the ground behind her.

Three more three pointers blocked the way. She was now stuck between the two robots from earlier, and her three ambushers. Without hesitation one of the new arrivals shot its laser at her. She fumbled as she tried to dodge, her mind still getting over the surprise. The laser struck her right calf. Pain shot through her; her exercise clothes provided no protection against the burning laser. Her focus was shattered, unable to produce acid under her feet, she tumbled to the ground.

She gripped her leg as she formed a ball on the ground. Her heart sank, she knew that if she was injured further she wouldn't be able to continue to fight. If she couldn't fight, she couldn't get points. And if she couldn't get points… She heard the now familiar sound of the three pointer charging its laser.

'Its over. I failed.' She steeled herself, preparing for the rest of the lasers to strike her.

A green flash crossed her peripheral vision.

"SMASH!"

Horrific crashes and sounds of metal warping rang throughout the area. Ashido's grimace faded, replaced with unfiltered surprise. She looked up just in time to see bits and pieces of robot flying in all directions. Where the three pointers previously were now stood nothing but heaps of metal.

'Someone saved me.'

She glanced around, searching for the source of her salvation from her position on the ground. Her ears perked up. Quiet footsteps approached from behind her.

"A-Are you okay? Can you walk?" Ashido twisted her torso to face the soft voice. Approaching her was a short girl with long dark green hair tied back in a ponytail. Her face was round and freckles dotted her cheeks. Her eyes were almost entirely hidden behind long green bangs that hung infront of her face. She was dressed in a modest black tracksuit that had some interesting designs on it. Ashido had never seen one like it before. "U-Um. Hello? Do you need me to carry you to safety? What are your injuries like?" The concern in the short girls voice broke Ashido out of her thoughts.

"Oh! I think I'm fine. I was only hit once, and it wasn't the worst thing in the world." Ashido took the green girls outstretched hand, and yelped as she was hauled upwards with much more force than she was expecting. Standing now she quickly flexed both her legs. She could walk. The burn on the back of her leg was not too bad. Testing skating would come in a moment.

"Thats g-good." The greenette looked at her feet, her eyes still hidden by her curtain of hair. Ashido took a moment to look the girl over now that she was standing.

'She's short. I'm 5'5 and I'm looking down at her.' was all she thought as she remembered where they both were.

Her green savior spoke again, still looking at the floor. Her voice barely a whisper. "I'm sorry I took your points. I didn't mean to, but… but you looked like you were…" her voice trailed off. The greenette turned around, and Ashido swears she heard a sniffle.

'Was she crying? Did I do something?! Wait, why was she apologizing?'

Her thoughts were interrupted by the crackling coming from the girl in front of her. Green lighting extended off her body. Without preamble she leaped forward with astonishing speed, and as quickly as she arrived, she was gone. Ashido stretched out a hand as she watched the green blur leave.

Her eyes briefly fell as she whispered "I didn't even get a chance to thank you…"

Ashido dusted herself off and she surveyed the area around her. The three robots that had ambushed her, all three pointers, were gone. Nothing but bent metal and mechanical rubble remained. Her mind briefly flashed to the two robots she was fighting earlier. She spun around, eyes searching for them. She let out a small gasp as she saw the pile in the distance. Both those robots were gone as well, in their place were similar piles of destruction.

'Five robots in under ten seconds. And she still came to check on me… What a strong power.' An image of All Might, Ashido's favorite hero, flashed in her mind. She smiled with renewed determination. She clenched her fist and looked towards the sky. 'I can still fight. And I must pass. You, green haired girl, will without a doubt get into UA's hero course. I'm sure of it. I will get in so that I can thank you properly.' After briefly testing her acid output, Ashido skated off to find more robots. This time, she wouldn't fail.

* * *

Judges Room, thirty seconds earlier

"Mic, in one minute go ahead and announce two minutes remaining. Then we can move into the final stage of the test." Nezu didn't look away from the screen in front of him. He heard Present Mic's sound of acknowledgement, but barely registered it. Instead, he was focused on Midoriya helping a pink girl stand. A small smile tugged at the sides of his mouth. 'I wonder how she'll approach the Zero pointer. If at all…' Nezu rolled his eyes at his own thoughts. 'Of course she'll get involved. What am I thinking. The real question is, who else will get involved?'

As the test neared its last few minutes, the judges room gradually became louder as minor acts of heroism increased in frequency. The students were tiring, and as they all tired, mistakes were made. Who would rise above these mistakes? As chances to help your fellow test attendees increased, the upper echelon would quietly rise to the top. Those truly worth of enrolling at UA. That was the true purpose of the UA entrance exam.

After all, rescue points were worth more than those awarded from the robots. Overwhelming destructive power could not be ignored however. Nezu's eyes shifted to a screen that showed a blonde haired boy with an explosive type quirk. He currently led all examinee's in villain points. He too would make an incredible hero, provided he truly learn from what UA had to offer in the hero course. The teachers watching certainly took note of the front runners actions. Jotting down notes to keep on file for those they expected would get accepted to the Hero Course.

Aizawa scribbled in a notebook on his desk. 'Katsuki Bakugo. While the expression he's making doesnt scream "hero", his abilities are undeniable. He seems to have the most combat sense out of all examinee's so far.' The boys expression stuck in Aizawa's mind as he swapped the screen infront of him to a different student. 'Truly a harrowing expression for a hero to wear. We will have to work on that, no doubt.'

Nezu's voice brought all faculty to attention. "It's time. Lets see how they react to the true UA Hero Course test…" Nezu pressed a remote that had been on his desk from the start. "Now show us, fledgling heroes. What will you do in a moment of crisis? Show us your true colors!" Nezu laughed, his small hands shaking up above his head. The teachers nearest to Nezu shifted uncomfortably. Nezu wore a gleeful smile, his eyes spoke to the joy he got out of releasing the giant robot. The lab experiment turned principal derived a sick pleasure from getting to 'experiment' on humans, especially considering he had legitimate good intentions for the test.

* * *

Testing ground

The widest street was chaos. Projectiles of all kinds flew around every which way. Most sounds were drowned out by the never ending chorus of combat. Dozens upon dozens of robots littered the streets, some entirely destroyed, some half functioning, and some brand new. UA hopeful's were everywhere, some stood atop buildings, some ran on the ground using close range to their advantage, while a select few stood far at range thanks to their powers.

Without warning, the ground heaved. A shockwave similar to an earthquake rippled throughout the nearby area, causing many to fall to the ground. A building located at the end of the block seemed to disintegrate from the inside as it fell away into nothing. Emerging from the building was an absolutely massive robot… if you could even call that 'thing' a robot anymore. As it unfolded to its full height, it easily dwarfed the nearby six story buildings. It was probably at least eleven stories tall. It's size completely prevented anyone from passing by it, its treads seemed to fit perfectly inside the width of the block.

For a brief moment the colossal robot stood there, unmoving. The momentary pause did not last long, as the remaining robots sprung back into action, resuming whatever fight they were in before the emergence of the zero pointer. As minor chaos began to take hold of the large city block, many ears turned to listen to a particularly commanding voice.

"EVERYONE!" A blue haired teen with glasses tried to gather the attention of as many as he could. "Work together to defeat any robots blocking our escape path! We can continue gathering points after we have moved everyone out of range of the giant robot! Safety of our comrades is top priority" As he spoke he gestured wildly, pointing towards the open section of the city block.

Thankfully, a fair portion of the students within earshot of him seemed to follow his orders. Some abandoned their skirmishes with robots to move away from the zero pointer, or to help others facing groups of smaller robots. Iida watched from atop a destroyed robot as the crowd hastily moved away from the end of the street where the zero pointer waited.

'Good. They're listening. Some are even teaming up. My work is done, I will go assist those closest to the zero pointer. I hope you're watching, UA judges!' Iida smirked as he watched his plan come to fruition, before sprinting off at breakneck speed towards those still in combat. As Iida ran towards the zero pointer, he got a good look at how many people were still within its range. He observed the battlefield. 'There are seven applicants still occupied. Two are on the ground, a black haired girl and a blonde boy, possibly injured. I can carry them both if needbe. First I will check with those closest to the zero pointer, and get them to head out. I'll also need to…'

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a shower of concrete. He barely had time to hide behind a destroyed three pointer. After the hail of stones stopped, the blue haired boy popped his head above his hiding spot. His eyes widened. The situation had drastically changed. The zero pointer had swiped a nearby building, showering a large portion of the block with rubble. Thankfully due to its size, it had to prepare for another strike. He had time to act. 'Go!'

Iida blasted from his hiding spot, analyzing as he ran towards those in need. Of the seven people within direct range of the zero pointer, five were trapped under rubble. Thankfully all but two of the robots the applicants closest to the zero pointer were fighting had been destroyed by the attack. The blonde haired boy had blood running down his head, Iida turned his head to watch the boy run towards the large mob of people watching. His heart skipped a beat. 'Large group of people watching?! The zero pointer would attack again soon! What are they doing! We need to rescue those trapped and leave as soon as possible so we don't ourselves get trapped!' There was easily 40 people still within range of the zero pointers attack, considering how far the first one traveled. They stood, most with fearful looks on their faces. Many seemed to come to the same conclusion as the blonde boy running; they turned and ran.

Iida's eyes widened. He had no time to care about the exam anymore, or what anyone else was doing. He had to act. He had to save those trapped, and quickly! He dropped down, legs bent as he put his hands in front of him, his head down. His form perfected after years of running training in middle school. After a second of readying himself, he screamed in his mind 'Recipro… BURST!' Blue flames shot out of his calf exhausts, and he dashed forward with remarkable speed.

Two girls had managed to free themselves of rubble, and were limping away from the zero pointer. Without asking he scooped up the two girls, one under each arm and blasted towards the crowd. Within two seconds he reached the group. He gently let the girls down before pointing to a nearby boy with red hair. "YOU take them to safety! I must grab the other victims before my engines stall!" He didn't wait for a reply, before he turned and ran back towards the giant robot. Facing the robot again, the sight of the robot almost made him stop in place. Its arm was reared back, about to strike another building. And he was running right towards it. Hesitation gripped him. No, he knew this feeling.

'Fear. I'm afraid… Can I rescue everyone? Will I avoid this attack? Do I run to hide behind another robot? No, I can't leave those closest to the zero pointer to take another attack. If they are buried further they could sustain further injury, or worse! I only have about 15 seconds before my engines stall. Can I make it to all the remaining students?' Time seemed to slow as his mind thought at a mile a minute, the zero pointers fist was maybe half a second away from striking the building. Even at his speed he wouldn't make it to the closest person, let alone have enough time to free them from the rubble they were under. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face. He swallowed. Fear.

He couldn't worry about himself right now. Choosing to ignore the zero pointers swing, he resolved himself to rescue whoever he could. He would worry about the results of the zero pointers swing later. Three people were still trapped. He arrived to see a boy was unconscious under many stones. He heaved the largest one off, and grabbed the boy under the shoulders. Lifting the boy while he was still partially covered caused many of the stones to scrape the unconscious boys skin. Iida's eyes fell. 'No. Focus. Apologies for my inexperience come later!'

He dashed back to the group. Many had stopped running and were facing the zero pointer with exasperated looks on their faces. Mouths open wide, a perfect example of "jaw hit the floor". Iida couldn't believe what he was seeing. 'Are they stupid? Are they paralyzed by the sight of the zero pointers attack? It must have struck the building by now… right?' He briefly recalled the last three seconds. Now that he stopped to think, he did hear a crunch like he did when the first building was struck. Where was the hail of stones that came after? He laid the unconscious boy behind a destroyed robot, before turning to look at the zero pointer himself. Iida's mouth too, fell open at what he saw.

The zero pointer was angled backwards. Its face was demolished and its arms were in the air. Slowly but surely it began to tip backwards. Up in the air, as small figure was surrounded by a large amount of green lightning. 'Someone struck the zero pointer? Their attack was successful!' Iida briefly let himself be amazed at the display of raw power the student high in the air had shown before they started plummeting back towards the ground. His mind got back on track. 'Right. People.' Assuming the zero pointer was dealt with, he ran back towards those still trapped.

Iida's mind stopped again. Realizing what he had witnessed before. 'Plummeting towards the ground. Don't tell me they leaped up there without a plan to land!' He craned his head upwards as he ran towards the remaining two trapped examinee's.

The zero pointer finally fell backwards. It would no longer be a problem, seemingly. Now then he had to...

His engines stalled.

The sudden loss of speed tripped him up, and Iida tumbled forward over his own feet. Due to his speed, he somersaulted multiple times before crashing into a destroyed robot. His hands shot to his head and he groaned in pain. 'I must have lost focus one too many times. I couldn't keep Recipro up for nearly as long as I normally can'. To make matters worse, a still functioning two pointer rolled up to where Iida crashed. He turned his head to look, but had no energy to even attempt to stand. Then…

CRASH.

The robot was crushed flat under a huge force. Completely destroyed. Iida craned his head to look, and the scene he saw then would be forever burned into his mind. The first time he had been saved.

A small girl with green hair, splayed up above her from landing, was surrounded by crackling green electricity. Her green eyes sparkled, alive with electricity. 'So pretty…' The thought involuntarily crossed his mind. He could also see the fierce determination in her look as she recovered to a stance. He could briefly see freckles that dotted her cheeks. Her hair fell back down only half a second later, covering her face under a curtain of curly bangs. Her head moved slightly, and he felt her looking at him.

"Are you OK? I-I saw you trip. Can you… walk?" She nervously wrung her hands. 'Please don't make me carry him… He's so tall it would look ridiculous…' Other similar thoughts clouded her mind, before being interrupted by the blue haired boy speaking.

"I am fine. Just exhausted, literally, and a bit disoriented." He stood up with a hand on the metal pile he tumbled into.

"G-Good. I'm… I'm gonna get the rocks of those people over there." She pointed. "Could you grab one of… them?" More hand fidgeting. She stepped down from the crushed robot and stood a short distance away from him. She brought her feet closer together, shoulders slumped forward.

'This girl leaks nervousness… If I hadn't witnessed her actions just now, I never would have pegged her as powerful. Let alone heroic.' Iida thought quickly, before answering her request.

"I uh… Of course! Although I might not be able to move large rocks in my current condition."

"Oh… I c-can do that. I'm… strong you could say." she brought her hands up, hugging herself briefly. Once again green electricity flared around her, crackling audibly. She made her way towards the trapped people, much faster than Iida expected she would move. He watched her go for a brief moment. More thoughts quickly entered his mind.

'Her voice is cute. And she's short! I can see the top of her head from a few feet away… I wonder what her name is.' Iida shook his head before clearing his mind. He still had a job to do. He hastily walked after her. Not wanting to be viewed as slacking, or lazy. Although he was injured, it was nothing compared to true battlefield injuries. He could still act in this condition. He had to. He caught up to her and was surprised by her actions once again. The same green electricity crackled around her body as she lifted up a large rock with one hand. Seemingly not straining to do so at all. 'I'd have trouble moving that, even with two hands…' Quickly she unearthed the person trapped underneath. They were unconscious, same as the previous person he'd found. He stood next to her before realizing she was finished, and had turned towards him subtly.

"Oh! Right. Please continue with your actions while I bring this student to a safer location" As Iida spoke he pointed repeatedly with his sharp, angular hand motions. She nodded at him, before walking in a direction with unnatural speed. 'Her name…'

"AND WITH THAT, THE UA ENTRANCE EXAM IS OVER!" Present Mic's voice reverberated throughout the entire testing facility.

'What? The exam! I had completely forgotten.' Iida thought as he dropped off the student he was carrying on a white sheet that had been set down by someone. Other injured student sat around in this general area. Iida looked around, and saw many people milling around, confused as to where to go now that the exam was over. Iida spotted a small figure walking towards them, who he recognized as UA's Recovery Girl. He smiled. All the injured would be fine. His thoughts drifted back to his unnamed savior. 'She would be accepted. I have no doubt. I must meet her again in person, to thank her. But also… I wish to learn alongside this person. Her actions were truly remarkable.' He thought back to her unique mannerisms.

'She's without a doubt a nervous person. But no one can deny her heroism in the face of danger. She was the only student to even bother trying to attack the zero pointer. Regardless of the success of her attack, her actions spoke wonders to the strength of her morals, and motivation to save those in need. She's truly an enigma. Whoever you are, I hope I get to meet you again.' Iida shielded his eyes from the sun, now high above them. He put his hands on his hips, closing his eyes. He took a moment to simply bask in the moment, his feelings, and his thoughts.

* * *

Pre-rewire A/N: Author note:

Hey thanks for actually reaching the end. This is my first time writing... anything that isn't a school assignment.

I'm still learning a lot about writing. Style, format, and dialogue usage will hopefully get better as I go. Any and all writing feedback is greatly appreciated. Like grammar and such I miss.

I'm very open to the direction this story could go. I have a roadmap for a couple arcs I want to cover, as well as some key scenes I know I want to build towards. Please let me know if you have any feedback on what you think would make for an interesting read.

Why is Midoriya a shy girl? Why not. It's the story I wanted to tell. :)

Also obviously stuff will be explained as the story goes on. Like why Midoriya can already control 25% Full-Cowling and up.

Names. Help me think of names for a female Midoriya. Izumi is a nice one but I've already seen that in a few stories. I was considering just "Izu Midoriya". But idk yet.

~Till next time.


	2. Anticipation x Worry

Izu sat up in bed and glanced at the clock on her nightstand. 11:40am? Her hand went to her eyes, and the crest of her nose. Her fingers brushed over the skin… crusty. She frowned. She must have cried while asleep... again. At least she couldn't remember her dream. That was always a welcome addition to waking up.

'_It's so late. I usually never wake up so late. Guess this is what happens when I don't set an alarm… waiting for the exam results is torturous. Maybe I made a mistake… Should I have just taken Nezu and All Mights recommendation? Well, I guess I did technically. I just also took the exam. So I'm already accepted. Right?'_

Her hair was a mess. She must have been tossing and turning during the night. It usually didn't get so messed up. She glanced around her room. It was still pitch black, due to the lack of windows. Her eyes rested on the brush sitting on her desk, by the laptop. Her eyes fell.

'_So far away… Getting out of bed means the day officially starts. Mom's probably worried about me though… I don't want her to come in and see me like this. She'll worry as usual.'_

She laid like this for another few minutes, staring at the ceiling.

'_Its been a week since the exam. Considering how late in the day it is, the results must be here. Mail usually arrives at 7:30am…'_ She sighed. '_Judgement day. Kind of.'_ She threw her legs over the side of the bed and stood up. She opened the door to the bathroom, silently thankful that she had one in her room. Being able to shower without having to risk running into her mom beforehand was something she greatly appreciated.

She stripped out of her pajamas and turned on the water, then turned to look at herself in the mirror. Her reflection frowned back at her. She made eye contact with the other person, taking a step closer to the mirror. She brought a hand up, trying to caress the cheek of her reflection. The glass was cold.

'_Appropriate.'_

Turning away, she laid out a towel and stepped into the cold shower. She lost track of time as she showered. It was probably a long one. Her fingers and toes grew pruny from being wet for too long. She'd finished washing herself a while ago. '_I just needed to turn the water off... and get dressed… and…'_ her thoughts trailed off. Her hand went to her temples, her eyes scrunched shut. The day had too many steps.

A light knock came from the bathroom door.

"Izu… I know you like long showers, but remember the water bill…"

'_Moms right. I should stop.'_ She turned the shower knob and stepped out, wrapping herself in the plush towel. She grabbed a comb and began the monotonous task.

'_Curse curly hair.'_ she scowled. Combing it after showering only did so much. Once she got outside the wind, heat, and moisture would cause her hair to frizz up and curl again. As it always did.

She stepped out into her room. A tray was left on her desk. Steamed rice, miso, and grilled fish. She didn't know what kind of fish. What caught her attention, however, was the thick white letter that rested next to the soup bowl. It had a red wax seal with the letters UA on it. She moved towards her dresser, fishing through it for something to wear. Bra? She was probably going outside today. Bra indeed. She elected for the sports variety. Although, if she was honest with herself, a baggy T-shirt would serve perfectly fine. She looked down at her chest and frowned. Before she fell down that rabbit hole again, she forced herself to gather the rest of her outfit. She picked out some boxers, sweatpants, and a gray tank top. Throwing on her clothes, she turned to look at her desk.

She looked over the food again. Then to the letter for a second time. '_Ah… Should I eat first, then open the letter? Or…'_ Her body answered for her, as her hand gravitated towards the pair of chopsticks. She ate silently. The food was good. She didn't finish the soup, instead pushing it towards the back of the tray. She stared at the mostly empty dishes, her eyes unfocused…

Something to the left of her beeped. The clock. It's 2pm? How long was she sitting here? Or was the shower just that much longer than normal? She didn't know. Her eyes shifted to the letter, tracing the U and A individually. She slowly reached for the thick letter, as if it would run away if she made any sudden movements. Grasping it, she ripped one side and slid the contents out. A handwritten letter, and a metal disk now rested in front of her. She pushed the obvious button on the metal disk first.

"BOOYAH! I AM HERE AS A PROJECTION!" All Might in his hero form was projected out from the center of the device. She tuned out most of the fanfare All Might provided, his Hero persona was… a little too loud for her right now. She heard bits and pieces from his monologue. Something about the UA code, and 'Plus Ultra'. She'd have to ask All Might about it later. He knew she had a hard time focusing and listening to loud people. He probably had to do all of these UA letters the same. The projection changed from All Might to a list, but his voice was still playing, with less intensity thankfully. "Young Midoriya, here are your scores and ranking for the UA entrance exam!"

Izu Midoriya - Overall Rank #1

Villain points: 72

Rescue points: 80

Total: 152

Her eyes widened slightly. Had she really gotten the highest overall ranking? She would have to confirm with Nezu at some point. The projection switched back to All Might. "Now come, Izu Midoriya! This is your Hero Academia!" With that, the projection switched off. She leaned forward on her desk.

'_I… don't know how to react. I knew this was coming. I knew I would get in. I ALREADY was accepted.' _Her hands covered her eyes, elbows resting on the desk. '_This isn't how… I wanted this to feel. I'm sure other students are jumping with joy at their acceptance letters. All Might and Nezu told me they wouldn't give me preferential treatment. I believe them… but…'_ She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. '_No crying. I have to go tell mom.'_ She was about to get up, when she saw the handwritten letter that came with the projector. She picked up the letter and began reading.

"Dear Midoriya, I hope this message finds you in good spirits. I know Toshinori is the one creating all the acceptance videos, but I wanted to send you this as well. Think of it as… reassurance. I know what you're thinking. Questioning yourself, questioning me and Toshinori. You're smart enough to know that we, of course, remain impartial when awarding points to students during the exam. The same goes for your recommendation status. What I'm afraid of though, is that you're doubting yourself again. That you don't truly believe you got in of your own volition. But. You did. Both All Might and Gran Torino agree that you've developed exceptional control over One For All in the time you've had it. Whether or not you agree is important, but that can come with time. I know you trust them and their judgement. They believe in you, and you came through on that belief. You must acknowledge that fact.

I hope you come see me for more sessions during your stay at UA.

Best,

Nezu.

PS: I got you a small gift. It will find its way into your dorm room once school begins."

Her eyes widened at the word 'dorm'. '_Right. All Might mentioned this. Something about increased villain presence in recent years around UA's facilities. I wonder if the entire school is dorming, or if it's just the hero courses.'_

She put the letter and projector back in the envelope, then placed the entire thing back on her desk. She grabbed the tray and made her way to the door. She turned the knob and pushed the door open a crack. Light shined through and struck her in the face. She clamped her eyes shut. '_Right. I forgot to turn a light on when I woke up. Again.'_ She opened the door fully, eyes still shut, and stepped out into the hallway. She slowly opened her eyes, careful not to look up at the light as she walked down the hall towards the living room. She could hear her mom on the phone.

* * *

Seeing her mom engrossed in a phone conversation on the couch, she brought the tray over to the sink and started washing each dish. After everything was clean and put away, she turned towards her mother.

"I'm sure it will take some adjustments, but I trust she'll make the best of it. Hmm? No. Monday is when they start, right? I… no. No. What?" Inko narrowed her eyes and made a face. "Yes… that works. What about visitors? Once per week, supervised? I can live with that. Yes I already faxed the signed form to you. Alright. Of course! Bye bye now!" Hanging up the phone, Inko turned to her daughter, a suspicious smile on her face. Izu hesitated to say anything as she made eye contact with her mother. That smile was never a good thing. Izu turned to walk back to her room before…

"Izu!" Inko leapt up and tackled Izu to the ground. "I'm so proud of you!" Tears of joy dripped down her face as she sniffled, her head resting on Izu's shoulder.

"Mom! I… thanks." they shifted, facing each other and sitting cross legged on the floor. "What… was the phone call about?"

Inko's eyes lit up, that devilish smile returning again. "Oh that? I got to have a long conversation with your principal. I'm sure you saw the letter with your food, considering you finished the food. I'm sorry I kind of spoiled the surprise. A second letter arrived this morning alongside the one addressed to you. Inside was a release form, among other things I had to sign for you to move into the UA dorms this year! I'm so happy you got accepted! And first place at that! My lord I never knew the quirk you awakened was so powerful Izu! Isn't this just divine!" Her mom was overflowing with enthusiasm, it was hard not to get caught up in it. Izu smiled at her mom before leaning forward to pull her into a hug.

"I guess I'm still kind of processing it all. It's… a lot to take in all at once" The lie tasted terrible as she vocalized it. She gave her mom another small smile before standing up.

Inko stood up too, dusting herself off. "I see you're in workout clothes. Planning on going to the beach again today?"

"Yeah. I'd like to finish it before school starts. It is only a few weeks now before the change in season."

"That's great, sweetie." Inko paused, she opened her mouth to speak but hesitated. "We... can talk when you get back, but we should have a talk about the dorm. Moving out at 15 is quite a big development. You know me, I just want to double check that we're on the same page about stuff. Rules, and… um. Decision making." she looked sheepish. The slightest bit of color visible in her cheeks.

Thankfully Izu missed her meaning. She grabbed her exercise tape before walking towards the door. She shot a hand up in a wave. "I'll be back before dinner, mom." With that, she left. Shutting the door gently behind her. The Midoriya matriarch watched her daugher leave. She was smiling, and her heart was filled with pride and joy at the news of her daughters successes. She waved towards the door with a lazy hand. Her smile faltered ever so slightly, but her eyes displayed how she truly felt. Her daughter would be leaving soon. She would have to be strong again, and keep a confident face. That's what Izu needed. That's what she would provide.

* * *

It was a Friday in the middle of August. Just warm enough to justify not bringing a sweatshirt. The walk over to Dagobah Beach was quiet. Midoriya always took a slightly longer than necessary path in order to walk along the water. She didn't bring a watch, so she knew she'd be basing her departure time on the daylight. Not ideal, but over the months she had gotten fairly good at returning around the time she meant to.

After some time she arrived at the far end of the beach. She hadn't told her mom that she had finished clearing Dagobah beach a couple of months ago. Now it served as a simple excuse to get out of the house. She still trained when here, of course, but she certainly spent most of her time simply watching the coastline. Daydreaming constantly.

Selecting a spot just out of the range of the tides, she sat in the sand with her eyes closed. She crossed her legs and rested her palms on her knees, her back was ramrod straight. She focused on breathing, first and foremost. '_In. Out. In. Out.'_ She repeated this so long she lost count. Finally content with her state of mind, she began to channel One For All. '_Full-Cowling, 30%!'_ Electricity arced off her, leaving small lines in the sand surrounding her. Her eyes scrunched further, and she grunted at the exertion. She slowly increased one of her arms to 35%. The limb was shrouded in an extra layer of electricity. Slowly, she began completing various hand and forearm exercises. She took extra care to keep her arm tensed, but ensuring her movements were slow and controlled. Finished with one arm, she moved to the next; increasing Full-Cowling to 35% there. Next was each leg… then her torso. Her breathing was strained as her chest and neck flooded with One For All's 35% power. Satisfied with her first cycle, she began again. All while maintaining 30% power everywhere else.

About an hour had passed before she lost her composure. She laid back, arms above her head and legs stretched out before her. She was parched. She was too preoccupied with her mother to remember to bring water. It still wasn't late enough to go back yet, so she simply laid with her eyes shut on the beach. Listening to the water that crested only a few feet away from her. Its rhythm was nice to get lost in.

'_I guess I overdid it a little today. I don't typically spend this long with One For All active. I guess I was… angry? No. That word doesn't accurately represent… the feeling. I wanted to push myself. More than usual.'_ Nezu's letter still rested on her conscious. He was right. He was rarely _not_ right. She knew Nezu and All Might had remained impartial. She knew she'd gotten in because of her own hard work. '_I know it's true. I've known for a while, but have been desperate to deny it. Cooler heads always prevail. Why did… why was I so angry before?'_ She couldn't answer. She thought back to her anger. '_Anger. What… who… was I angry at? Where did it come from?'_ She was afraid of the answer. A familiar pressure behind her eyes reminded her of what was to come. She sat up abruptly, eyes flying open. She saw the horizon, the sun setting slowly, creating a beautiful orange painting in the sky. '_No crying. All Might always looks uncomfortable when I cry in front of him. I can't go to UA like this…'_ She brought her knees to her chest, her head falling down to rest on them. Her thoughts drifted to UA, and what was to come.

'_UA's dorms. I knew this was coming but I still don't feel ready. Being away from home certainly has its benefits… but I'm worried about what others will think of me. Gran Torino always said to just ignore everyone else.'_ His words played through her mind, as if he was next to her now repeating them: "The only thoughts that should matter to you are your own, and those of the people you truly care about." She was smart enough to know he'd meant opinions and judgemental thoughts. She of course would value the thoughts of those who had proven to be wise. Reputation too, went a long way. She knew this. She, right now, knew and acknowledged as true what Gran Torino said. She had faith that it was true. But… '_Can I really -not- care about what others think about me? Other students? Do I have… that right?'_ She sighed into her knees, her head starting to throb. '_Aren't I being… elitist to carry around that mindset? I know All Might doesnt think like that. At least... he doesn't now.'_

She flopped back down, stretching out on the sand again. The sun would be set in the next half hour. She should probably head back now. Her mom always worried about her when she walked home in the dark.

'_I wonder what mom wanted to talk about when I get home…'_

* * *

The walk back home was uninteresting and uneventful. She had to face away from the beautiful sunset in order to reach home, unfortunately. As she turned the lock on her front door and stepped in, she smelled a familiar smell. Her stomach growled. Pork cutlet.

"Oh good Izu you're back! I was just about to call you to tell you go start on back. Didn't want the food to get cold."

"Yeah sorry. I lost track of time a little."

"How's the beach looking nowadays? I haven't had a chance to go down there since a couple of months ago. You know how much it warms my heart that you and your mentor… Yagi sensei! Spend your time cleaning it." Izu gave a small smile at the praise.

"Well really he does most of the work… organizing it all. All I do is move stuff."

"Oh stop with that nonsense. You know its a team job. One couldn't do it without the other!" Inko placed a top over a pot with steam constantly flowing out of it, nodding in approval of her work. She turned to her daughter, taking a seat at the dinner table and motioning to the one across from her. Izu sat down without a word. Ready for whatever conversation her mom wanted to have. Inko looked at her and opened her mouth, before shutting it a few seconds later when nothing came out. She deliberated for a few more moments before starting.

"So you're going to dorm at UA for three years." Izu simply nodded in response. "And… it's a co-ed dorm." Inko raised her eyebrows, hoping Izu would catch her meaning." Izu stared back blankly. Inko sighed. Her daughter was no help in this awkward time. Her eyes shifted back and forth. Her mother gave her this talk once. She could do it for the next generation. "Listen. I… was a teenager too once, you know? I know the things you'll probably encounter. The… feelings you'll feel. The things you might want to do." Realization slowly crept into Izu's features. She hesitantly nodded at her mother to continue. "I just want to remind you to… be careful. You can experiment and try what you want to, Izu. I don't want to cage you like my parents did. I had to be taught a lot of things by my classmates in College. It certainly wasn't ideal…"

"Mom I know. I'll be careful when training. I've trained to keep my power under control when using it on people."

Inko sighed. She threw caution to the wall. Starting with, "I know that Izu! Believe me I do! I just… don't make me a grandmother yet. I'm still too young for that, you know?"

Izu's face became red hot, her hands flying up, swiping the air in front of her. "O-Of course I know that, mom! I'm not gonna… I know about stuff like that."

"I know honey." Her eyes softened, she looked at her daughters innocent face, innocent expression. "I know you're smart. You won't make silly mistakes. But you do know you can… have relationships right? I did when I was your age. And this is highschool. It's certainly on every students mind I imagine…"

"Y-Yeah I know. I'll… try?" Izu couldn't look her mother in the eye. What had she just said? She'd try?

Inko gave a nervous chuckle. "You don't have to promise me you'll get a relationship, sweetie. That wasn't the point. I just worry about you. I want you to be prepared for what's to come. Moving out is such a big moment in someone's life, especially since it's happening at such a young age. Relationships and sexual pursuits aren't the only thing that will come as a big surprise. But I do want you to know. They will happen. You… you're cute, Izu. You know that right?" She reached over to brush her daughters hair out of her face. She was still blushing furiously. Izu was staring at the table as she made a noise. Halfway between 'yes' and 'what'. "You old ma was a teenager too, once. I got invited to parties. I had fun, I drank when I wasn't supposed to and tried… less than legal things in the presence of my friends."

"R-Really?!" Now Izu was focused on her mother. Eye contact and all. This was a side of her mother she rarely got to hear about.

"Yes of course" She chuckled. "What I want you to take away from this is the importance of friends. You can fool around with friends, you can break the rules with friends, you can do a lot of stuff with people you feel comfortable with. I want you to find that group of people, Izu." She hesitated slightly before adding, "If you're going to break rules, just make sure you don't get caught. Or someone else takes the blame" She reached out and ruffled her daughters hair.

Izu giggled quietly. "Yeah mom I know. I'll do my best to make friends in school. I'll do my best to… break the rules?" With that, Inko lost her composure and devolved into a laughing fit. Izu joined her, the merriment of laughing with her mother was too contagious. They laughed together for a short while, before a beeping sound from the kitchen caught her mother's attention.

"Oh! It's all done. You probably smelled it when you walked in, but I made your favorite!" Izu's stomach growled in response. She could really use some food right now…

* * *

The rest of the weeks of summer vacation passed in a blur. Izu's routine did a good job keeping her distracted from herself. She was busy for a large portion of each day. A mix of training, meditation, and studying to get ahead in classes. Returning to her regular sleep schedule in preparation for the move to UA also kept her nice and focused each morning.

Then, as expected, the immovable deadline arrived. The day of the move to UA. Izu said her goodbyes to her mother at the front gate of UA. Security was pretty tight on moving day, and only students and their belongings were led to the dorm. The Midoriya's made sure to arrive at the earliest possible moment, so that Izu could hopefully pick a good room, and also give her time to explore the dorm and campus grounds. The move took place on Thursday. Friday apparently had some basic introduction and "team building" exercises planned between the students, while the first day of class was the coming Monday.

Izu walked alone towards the dorm, following a tiled brown path. The weather today was brisk at best. She was glad she wore a regular T-Shirt with sleeves alongside a zippered black sweatshirt. Before she left home Inko looked at her sweatpants, also black, and urged her to dress a little more… "feminine", but Izu quickly shot that idea down. Comfort over looks.

The path she followed was lined with greenery, and she could see more than one forest around her in the distance. The tall campus buildings of UA were also visible in nearly all directions. '_It's crazy to think all this land is UA campus. They really have transformed this area to fit the schools image and function.'_ Izu eventually arrived in front of the dorm, pulling a cart behind her that held her suitcases and extra bags of belongings. Standing at the top of the stairs was a lean man dressed in all black. He had black hair and wore a grey scarf. '_He must be a UA teacher.'_ She approached the base of the stairs. She could feel his eyes tracking her as she got closer.

"Class 1-A?"

"Y-Yes sir. That is what I was assigned."

"Name?"

"Izu M-Midoriya." The man glanced down at a clipboard. Flipping through some pages before stopping on one and reading over it. Izu was looking behind him, through the slightly ajar door to the dorms. She missed his eyes widen as he read over her student file.

'_Admitted through recommendations. She got the top score on the recommendation exam. She also, interestingly enough, took the standard admittance exam. She broke the long standing record for the most points on the entrance exam… by thirty five points. What, is she a show off?'_ He glanced back at her. He looked her up and down, scrutinizing what her appearance gave him. '_She doesn't look like one to show off. But… I can sense her unease from all the way over here, and I can't even see her eyes.'_ He paused, glancing back at her student file. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard her speak.

"Um. Uh, can I bring my stuff in to find a room?" She fidgeted back and forth. Worried when he didn't reply for a few seconds. He turned to look at the stuff she had brought with her. Two suitcases, a duffle bag, and probably one or two other bags buried underneath. He recalled her quirk synopsis 'Energy augmentation'. It apparently gave her enhanced strength and speed, but could supposedly have other applications. An almost imperceptible smile flashed across his features.

'_Here's an idea…'_ He spoke, "Just so you know, while on campus you have permission to use your quirks. Obviously you can only use them on another willing person and visa versa, but when it comes to regular day to day activities you can use them while on campus." Midoriya's eyes widened. She certainly wasn't expecting this. "Use your quirk to get all your belongings up the stairs in one trip. This is your first test at UA. I'll be letting all students who arrive know what their personalized tests are when they arrive." '_She's so short, if she didn't use her quirk I would expect maybe three or four trips to lug all that stuff up here. Prove me wrong, Midoriya.'_ He couldn't stop himself; his smirk showed itself plainly.

'_Personalized test? I guess that clipboard he has tells him what all the students quirks are. He must want to see me demonstrate my control. Any normal person would have to take two or three trips to get all this stuff up the stairs. I mean. I can do it no problem. Is there some hidden meaning or expectation he has? Is he judging me based on how long it takes me to come to a decision? Fine. I'll just do it and see how he reacts.'_ Without further preamble Izu summoned One For All throughout her body. '_Full-Cowling, 10%.'_ Green electricity encompassed her body, her hair levitating ever so slightly. Aizawa's eyes widened slightly. He remembered now. He only saw her briefly during the entrance exam, as he was assigned to a different set of testing grounds than the one she was in. But he couldn't forget that electricity.

'_So she's the one who destroyed the Zero Pointer. Hmm. You certainly are interesting, Izu Midoriya.'_ He silently watched as she picked up the entire cart from the bottom, and began carrying it up the stairs. If he was honest, she looked ridiculous. The small little thing carrying the cart that could easily fit her in it many times over. But she showed no visible strain, completing the task in under ten seconds. She placed the cart down next to him, as the electricity around her dissipated. She turned to face him as he spoke.

"Impressive. You're the first to arrive, so you can pick whatever room you want. All the student rooms are on floors 2-5. Five rooms per floor. Go get situated and be in the main living area on the first floor by 11:00am for a class meeting. Do not be late." He dismissed her by waving his hand towards the entrance. He turned to face away from the dorm again, looking out in the distance once more. "Oh, and don't shut the front door when you walk in."

"O-Okay. Thank you, Sensei." She gave an awkward half bow, but he wasn't facing her. He grumbled in response.

_'I wonder if there was any hidden meaning behind that. Well he did say all students were getting some sort of preliminary test. This felt kind of... spontaneous though.'_

She opened the large doors and wheeled her stuff inside, taking a moment to fully appreciate the main living area. It was very spacious. It had a, seemingly, fully equipped kitchen, with multiple couches small coffee tables scattered around. There was a large square formation of couches and chairs that all faced a large television. That area had white carpet lining the floor. There was also a large area with basic workout mats laid down. A couple feet away was a basic weight rack that housed dumbbells of all kinds. '_Wow. They really spared no expense for the student living quarters. And I'm sure this isn't everything this building has to offer.'_

She made her way over to the elevator and selected the fifth floor. She wanted a view. And roof access if possible. If not… well Inko did say rules could be broken. She walked down the hallway of rooms, dragging her cart of stuff behind her, before finally stopping at a room labeled 5-5, the furthest from the elevator. She tried the door. It was unlocked. She poked her head in. Even with no lights on she was able to make out the room very clearly. It combined living space and bedroom, with a door to the right of the entrance that led to a bathroom she presumed. It came equipped with basic living necessities. A bedframe with mattress. A dresser with multiple compartments. A basic desk and chair. It even had a minifridge and microwave. They were given permission to modify the rooms however they saw fit, so long as it did not damage the structural integrity of their room or the building.

'_Maybe I'll put up shelves…'_ Her eyes scanned over the room again and saw light peeking out from behind the curtains. A large glass door. '_A balcony…'_ She quickly pulled her cart inside, forgetting to shut the door. She walked over to the glass door and brushed one of the curtains out of the way, taking note of their color. Gray. She'd probably swap those for a black pair. Her hands found the handle of the door, she undid the lock and slid it open. Her eyes were still locked forward, looking at the view presented before her. Forest. For seemingly miles before she spotted the top of a wall far in the distance. She stepped fully out onto the balcony, taking a deep breath. '_Wonderful…'_ her eyes calmly shut as her hands gripped the railing in front of her. She paused to enjoy the feeling. The sun shined gently on her face. It was a soothing warmth. A smile crept its way onto her face. '_I could… get used to this.'_ She remained like this for sometime, knowing she arrived early enough that she could spare some time before unpacking. Easily having time to spare to make it downstairs in time for whatever her teacher(?) had planned. '_I assume he's our teacher. Homeroom teacher at least. Who else would be greeting us at our dorms, besides maybe Nezu?'_

She slinked back indoors to grab the wooden chair from the desk provided. Moving it onto the balcony, she took a seat and leaned back. Content to simply sit and enjoy the view as the sun continued to rise higher.

* * *

Midoriya was jolted back to reality by a knock on her door. Someone called out.

"Hey there! I saw your door was open and finished setting up my room. I wanted to come say hi and meet my neighbor." Midoriya turned in her chair and looked towards the voice. She saw a boy with spiky red hair leaning into her room, glancing around. His feet were still planted in the hallway.

'_Well, he has manners. I guess I did leave the door open. I haven't begun unpacking my stuff yet.'_ She quickly slipped her phone out of her pocket and checked the time. 9:30am. '_Hmm. Thats probably enough time to finish unpacking. I guess I can do it when I get back. What do I say to this guy? I… I did tell mom I'd try to be social.'_ Her mind briefly flashed back to the conversation they had at the dinner table. She could feel the boys eyes on her now. She blushed furiously, thankful that her hair hid most of her face. She stood up, coming into the room and shutting the screen door, chair still outside.

"Hey! I'm Eijiro Kirishima. Can I come in?" He saw the girl step into the room, but she still hadn't acknowledged anything he'd said. His expression changed from a smile to something halfway between confusion and interest. A few beats passed before she turned and walked towards him.

'_Woah. She's short. Cute.'_

"Uh. I'm. I'm still setting up my room. I'll see yo… I'll be down at eleven." She stepped close, her hand on the door. Her hair blocked the top half of her face, namely her eyes, which made her very hard to read. Kirishima's eyes went to her hand on the door.

'_Well I can take a hint. I'll try again later, she certainly seemed flustered when I first knocked. Like she was sleeping almost.'_ His hand went to the top of his forehead, two of his fingers extended. Izu's heart skipped a beat.

'_Thats cute...'_

"I'll catch you downstairs then. Before I go… I didn't get your name?" He was slightly unnerved talking to her. '_Shes clearly uncomfortable. Did… did I say something to offend her?'_ He went over the transcript of their brief conversation. '_I can't imagine she didn't like what I've said so far. Must have interrupted something when I knocked. She wasn't moving out on the balcony, now that I think back.'_ His eyes widened briefly. He hoped she didn't notice. '_Oh crap. What if she noticed me looking at her? Her door was open and all her stuff was there in the door! I noticed her and didn't know how to react, seeing her sitting out there. It was only like ten seconds before I actually said something…'_ He quietly prayed she didn't see his earlier actions. He didn't want to be pegged as a weirdo on day one. He almost forgot he'd asked her a question, he nearly missed her answer.

"Mid… Midoriya" Her voice almost too quiet to hear. _Almost._ Not wanting to bother her any further, he made a 'salute' motion with his hand on his forehead and turned to leave.

"I'll see you downstairs, Midoriya!"

She slammed the door shut a second after he was out of the doorway. '_Crap. He definitely heard me slam the door.'_ She spun around, placing her back against the door. Slowly sliding down to sit on the floor, she brought her knee's up and laced her arms around them. Her head fell forward. '_That went about as well as I expected it to. Why'd he have to startle me? I wasn't sleeping… I was just... thinking. Distracted. And I'm gonna have to see him again in an hour and a half… Is it worth it? Do I really have to continue at UA?'_ She inhaled deeply and sighed. She knew she was being facetious. Inko's words drifted back into her mind… 'relationships and sexual pursuits… will happen'. '_Did… was that what that was? Did he want to? Me? … No I'm overthinking this.. All he did was say hello and introduce himself. He doesn't even know me.'_

Deciding that thinking about it would only make her embarrassment grow, she stood up and began to unpack her things. Busying her mind was the best way to prepare for the coming meeting she figured. She'd be meeting her entire class. '_Oh joy…'_

Izu finished unpacking her stuff, placing her last pile of shirts in a drawer, with only a few minutes to spare. She reached to her bed and put her sweatshirt back on, having taken it off as she moved stuff around. '_I don't want to be seen in just a T-Shirt…'_ She stepped in front of the mirror in her bathroom, looking herself over. She frowned. Poking and prodding as her clothes sagged on her. She always wore baggy stuff. Black sweatshirt. Black sweatpants. '_Should I change clothes? Mom did pack me that one shirt and pair of shorts…'_ Her cheeks flared up again. She shook her head and stamped her feet, feeling like a child again. '_No! I can't even imagine myself wearing those. I should have thrown them out when I saw mom sneak them into my suitcase… But… Part of me does wonder… What I'd look like.'_ She felt a familiar pressure behind her eyes. Her hands flew up to cover them as she slumped forward. '_No. Stop, Izu. You have to see people soon.' _She forcibly composed herself. Her phone beeped. '_Or now.'_

She had to go downstairs.

* * *

She walked into the main living space at 10:55am. Five minutes until the teacher would begin… something. As she rounded the corner that led to the elevator she froze. She counted nineteen people sitting all over the place. She quickly glanced at everyone, making mental notes of people she recognized. The red haired guy… Kirishima? Was sitting chatting to a blonde haired boy with similar hair. She also recognized the taller, blue haired boy with glasses. Spoke with him briefly during the entrance exam. He was yelling and gesturing wildly at the blonde haired boy. Something about putting his feet down…

She continued her scan, her eyes only lingering on the pink skinned girl with black sclera. '_She's here too. I'm glad she was able to recover from her injury and still pass…'_ Midoriya arrived rather silently and, thankfully, didn't draw much attention to herself. Or at least, that's what she thought.

"Oh it's you! I'm so glad you and I were placed in the same class. I knew you would be accepted after your stellar performance during the entrance exam!" She froze. He had no sense of volume, instantly she could feel tons of eye on her. The blue haired boy was talking about and looking at her. He marched right towards her, seemingly forgetting his previous ire. She pressed herself against the nearest wall, far away from any other object. Her arms were crossed in front of her chest, half hugging herself. Her mind was a mess. She couldn't think. The blue haired guy was still walking towards her, everyone was looking at her. She had to have a conversation? What was everyone thinking of her?

'_Why'd he have to go and mention the entrance exam! I don't want people to target me because I did well!'_ With her arms curled in front of her and her baggy clothes, she looked truly like a lost child. The blue haired boy stopped in front of her at arms length. He stuck his arm out for a handshake.

"Hello! I am Tenya Iida. I must say, your actions during the entrance exam were truly inspiring. Your power left many who witnessed it awestruck, myself included. Your heroism was truly inspiring, and I hope to work and learn alongside you. You are…?"

She seemed to crumple in on herself more, appearing especially small in contrast to the rather tall Tenya. Her head angled down slightly. She looked at his hand. '_What… what does he want me to do?'_ She glanced at the other students. Some had returned to their conversations after Iida's outburst, but many were still looking at them. Wondering if what Iida said was true, and wondering how she would react to Iida's words.

Her heart rate increased as time seemed to slow. '_How long has it been since he stuck out his hand? Do I shake it? That's what he wants… but? I don't… I'd rather just…'_ both her hands went to her chest. She needed to calm down. Her heart rate increased further. Some time must have passed, as she saw the blue haired boys hand falter slightly. He adjusted his glasses with his other hand. He took a step closer and spoke again.

"I believe it's thanks to you that I was able to pass the exam, you know. Had you not destroyed the Zero Pointer when you did, its second attack would have made the situation much much worse than it already was." That got the attention of everyone in the room. His hand clapped her shoulder and he laughed in a jovial manner.

Her heart rate increased. '_Contact. He's touching me.'_ Her mind was hazy. Her adrenaline spiked. Pupils dilated. Her hands slowly went down to her sides. Green electricity flared around her aggressively, extending a couple feet from her body. Everyone was watching. Iida removed his hand, startled by the electricity. He began, his voice slightly shaky "Oh I'm sorry, where are my manners. Again, may I ask your nam-" A huge rush of wind reverberated through the room. Iida fell backwards, landing on his rear. Papers all throughout the room flew everywhere, unoccupied chairs fell over. Everyones hair was blown wild. A few girls screamed in surprise.

The girl who had everyone's attention vanished in an instant. The wall she was leaning against was cracked in multiple places. Black marks of rubber were visible on the ground where she once stood. The black marks continued in a straight line towards the door, which had been blown open. The locking mechanism was shattered by the force of the door flying open without the knob being turned.

Everyone was stunned. It all happened so fast.

Eventually, a girl with long black hair spoke up. "Iida, right? I think you overwhelmed her. She certainly seemed like she wanted to avoid attention."

Iida stood up and adjusted his glasses again. "Of course. I should have realized sooner." He faced the majority of the class and bowed deeply. "My apologies class, I will learn from my mistake"

Kirishima spoke up next. "You should probably apologize to her, dude, not us. You were very forward and physical with someone you don't know anything about." Silence covered the room again. Many questions lingered on the minds of all present. Many eyed the wall where she previously stood. Cracked. What surprised many was… the wall wasn't hollow. It seemed to be polished, solid stone all the way through. She destroyed the Zero Pointer? That was hard to imagine anyone accomplishing. Not to mention her speed. She seemed to vanish instantly, almost like she teleported. The trail on the ground dashed that theory however. "Iida. You should probably clean the marks on the floor. Although I have no idea how the wall and door will be addressed. It's the first day and our class has already damaged school property. But… I don't feel like that girl can be blamed." A few nodded in agreement.

"Of course! When I see her next I will certainly apologize. I will try to deal with the marks on the floor." As Iida was about to start searching for cleaning supplies, the elevator dinged. Out walked the man everyone was greeted, and tested, by.

"Tenya Iida, stop what you're doing. It is fine. I watched the event unfold in real time."

The pink skinned girl spoke up. "You were watching us? For how long?"

"I wanted to see what first contact would be like between you students… So I've been watching since the last person arrived. Guess we got the answer to that question. Technically I was supposed to already be here." He held up his watch and pointed to the time. It read 11:02. "So I'll take responsibility for the damage. I wanted to see how everything would turn out after the last student arrived. Please pick up papers and chairs while I'm gone. I need to go retrieve our missing student. We will begin the meeting once I return."

* * *

Author note:

Here's another chapter that does a lot more for Midoriya's character.

Yes they are in dorms already. I think it's more fun to write when they are all living together.

Also yes, you may have noticed: Bakugo and Midoriya dont know each other.

Please let me know what you think, or any suggestions!

~Till next time.


	3. Anger x Confusion

Aizawa was pissed. At himself. He felt bad for not intervening earlier. He knew he was going to have to keep an eye on the Midoriya girl, but he didn't think he was going to have to step in so quickly. '_It's not even the first day of class, technically.'_ But… he didn't step in. He wanted to see what would happen. He spoke the truth to the students.

He rubbed his temples with one hand and grabbed the railing with the other as he walked down the front stairs from earlier in the morning. He turned his eyes forward and looked for any disturbance in the lawn. Any clues to where the small girl might've ran off too. '_Damn. I knew she was strong, as per the zero pointer KO, but fast as well? She was hard to follow even for me. That, and the huge clap of wind she caused just by moving.'_ His eyes found some overly-trampled grass.

A small path was visible, careening behind the left side of the building. He made his way over, stepping back onto the paved ground around the dormitory. He moved silently. If she heard him coming and didn't want to see anyone, he couldn't really stop her. '_Well. Couldn't. Wouldn't.'_ He smirked to himself as he walked. '_Obviously I can stop her. But, she definitely doesn't need that right now. Poor kid is probably terrified about leaving home. Only to get held verbally hostage by another student. I just need to catch her up on what this dumb meeting is even about. She doesn't have to attend. No one does, technically. Nothing's even really planned until tomorrow. Even then we're kind of winging it. I know Kan was trying to talk Nezu into officially scheduling and event.'_

Aizawa rounded the corner, his sharp ear picked up intense breathing not far from where he stood. He walked a little farther, spotting her sitting against a dumpster. He approached from an angle where she could see him clearly, careful to not startle her. '_Well. She's not exactly hiding. Nor did she go far.'_ Her head rested on her knees, arms around her legs. He saw her back and chest heaving. '_Hmm. She's still panicking. I'll only make it worse if I approach her now.'_ He reached into his back pocket, grabbing a small notepad. He scribbled a quick note before wondering how he'd give it to her. Seeing how there was next to no wind at the moment, he elected to just leave the note in an obvious spot a couple feet in front of her. He folded it slightly, to make it more noticeable.

Nodding to himself, he turned and headed back towards the front entrance, scribbling in his book as he walked. '_Normally I wouldn't go so out of my way for a student so early… Or be so considerate. Izu Midoriya… You've piqued my interest. Not everyone can get a recommendation from All Might AND Principal Nezu. Although we've only exchanged a couple sentences, I can't imagine you having an ego. Impressive considering the power within you. All that remains for you is… Do you want to be a hero, Izu Midoriya?'_

* * *

Her chest hurt. Her brain throbbed. She could feel it behind her eyes. This was a promise from her body, loud and clear. This would become a migraine later. Her hands shook with excess energy. '_That's right… Adrenaline… I need to… breathe…'_ She tried opening and closing her hands out in front of her. No good, she could feel pins-and-needles encompass her hands. Numbness came after. She tried to focus on something, anything, besides what was happening to her now or what had just happened. Anything. Find something to focus on.

Her mind drifted to Dagobah beach. '_I wish I was there. I wish… I wish I was in bed. At home. Somewhere familiar.'_ This was good, her subconscious realized. She was thinking about other stuff. Keep doing it! She thought of the beautiful sunset she saw at Dagobah beach. Of the phenomenal view that was just outside her dorm window. She thought of her dad's smiling face.

Her head shot up. Eyes open and red. '_No. Don't think of him.'_ She was still taking labored, deep breaths, but she could at least think semi clearly now. She had sufficiently distracted herself. She glanced around at her surroundings. She hadn't paid any attention to where she had stopped when she ran out. The smell finally hit her. She scrunched her nose and made a face.

'_Gross. How is there trash already? I thought no one was living here. Do dumpsters just smell eternally bad?'_ She spotted a note a couple feet away. It had writing on it. She hesitantly stood up, a hand reaching to a metal bar of the dumpster for support. She slowly walked over to the note and picked it up. Before reading, her mind registered what this note meant. '_Someone saw me… freaking out.'_ Her blood ran cold. Even her mother rarely, if ever, saw her like that. She had gotten, fortunately or unfortunately, very good at hiding and timing her episodes. She tried to piece together who would have come to see her. Someone specifically sought her out, no way was she stumbled upon by someone random. She had no idea where her teacher(?) was. She hadn't seen him in hours. '_Could it have been him?'_ She decided to read the note.

"Meeting not required. Read student handbook. Covers meeting. Come back before night. Try to show up tomorrow. I'd prefer an even number of students."

-Aizawa

'_Aizawa? I hope that's… The man I saw at the door. I don't know what I'd do if a classmate saw me like this… Especially on day one.'_ Her subconscious took note of the way she phrased that in her mind. Even if Midoriya herself didn't realize it, she still harbored hope for herself. '_Well Aizawa mentioned students in his note. So either way he is a teacher. That's… the best outcome I guess. If anyone was going to see me.'_ She wiped her eyes on her sleeve. Her head ached. Yep. She was right earlier. Migraine. '_I want to lie down… There's no way I can get in the front entrance without being seen. But… I want to go to my room.'_ She did a better sweep of her surroundings, taking note of the buildings height. An idea. '_I could… jump to the ceiling?'_ She crossed her arms.

She hadn't read the student handbook she was given when she entered the school grounds. She hadn't had time to yet. She was almost positive there would be a rule in there prohibiting students from being on the roof. '_What about my balcony? The glass door was locked when I first got into the room. I didn't re-lock it. Does it automatically re-lock? ...Only one way to find out. It's probably more appropriate to jump into my own room, than jump to the ceiling and work my way down.'_

She walked further behind the building, turning the corner to see what she expected. Four stories of balconies, each five long. Unfortunately, her room was the furthest from where she was now. There was a large field to the back right of the building, for training or group exercises she imagined, which meant there was a rear exit. If she wanted to jump to her room, she'd have to cross the field and risk being seen. '_Well. It's this or walk the other way, meaning crossing the front entrance.'_ She steeled herself and, as calmly as possible, walked across the field towards the side of the building where her dorm was. She passed the rear exit, managing to steal a glance inside. '_No one is in the main living area? Did they all leave? What… what am I missing? Aizawa's note made the meeting seem pretty basic. But it hasn't been that long… right? There's no way the meeting is over.'_

She'd worry about that later. For now, she had to focus on her main objective: Bed. She stood under four balconies now. She walked a good ten feet from the building and turned around, eyes locked on the balcony she knew was hers. She could just barely see the chair she left outside, confirming she was looking at the correct balcony. She closed her eyes and briefly focused. Her head was still throbbing, so it took her a moment to channel Full-Cowling. The familiar flow of electricity surrounded her. She charged up to ten percent, and…

'_Jump!'_ She screamed in her mind. Leaping up and managing to grab the railing of her balcony. She wasted no time hanging from the bar, lest she be seen. Still at 10%, she used her arms and hauled herself over the railing with ease. She, unfortunately, didn't think about landing while swinging over the railing. She unceremoniously crashed into the concrete floor. She brought herself to a sitting position and rubbed the right side of her hip that she landed on. '_I did it though! Yay.'_ She let a small smile show. She stood up to try the glass door. It was unlocked. '_Double yay! Bed time… at 11:15am or something.'_ As she was about to slide the glass door open, she heard a cough. She whipped her head to her right.

"Uh. Hi… Midoriya?" The red headed guy from earlier was on his balcony, leaning on the side railing far from her. "Whats… Ahem." He cleared his throat. '_What the heck do I say! I know exactly what she's doing, but I had to make myself known. I didn't want her to see me first and…'_ Due to the way she landed, and that she had yet to readjust her hair, he could see her eyes. A concerned frown formed on his face. '_She's been crying… Her hair isn't in her eyes for once. She has such beautiful green eyes… Should. What should I ask her? Should I ask her anything at all, or just leave her be?'_ He realized he was staring. Then again… so was she. '_She has freckles.'_ He noted. "How are you doing? Uh."

'_Just when I thought I was in the clear… Say something, idiot! He's just looking at you! You're looking at him! Do! Something!'_ She shook her head, and her hair fell back in place, hiding her eyes once again. She stood stock still, not knowing what to say or do in this situation. '_If I were breaking any rules right now… would he tell anyone? Wait. Priorities. Thinking comes later. Get yourself out of this situation!'_ She spoke, "I… was… lost?" Her head cocked to the side as she said this. Clearly not even convincing herself with what she said.

"I can see that. Do… are you okay from earlier?" The redhead asked. '_Good, Eijiro. Good. Good question! Ok, plan. What do I do with her answer?'_ She didn't give him much time to think.

"Yes. I'm f-" A sniffle interrupted her. "Fine." A very convincing lie, she was sure of it.

"Are you sure? If you need an ear, I can provide." He tried. '_Good going dipshit, you saw her eyes! She was crying! "Are you okay" the answers fucking no! Take charge!'_ He shook his head, mimicking her from only moments ago. "Listen I uh… I don't know if anything happened between you and Iida, but I can't just ignore a girl in distress, ya know? Let me help?"

It was her turn to think, now. "No. No... Thank you, Kir-" She paused. '_Should I…?'_ "-Kirishima. I just need to lie down." She saw his eyes light up as he heard his name. He was smiling now, his worried expression mostly gone.

"Okay. My offer stands though. Come by sometime to talk, Okay?" She gave a nonverbal reply by raising her hand in the air meekly. A half wave. With that, she vanished inside her room. Kirishima leaned back against the railing a bit further, stretching his back. He pumped a fist into the air. '_Alright! Score one with the quiet girl! Plus an open invitation to come over. The first day is going great. I've already gotten to talk to everyone except that red and blue guy, and the bird looking dude. They seem like loners anyways, and aren't girls. No reason to pursue them yet I guess.'_

His mind went back to the girl he was just with. '_Midoriya. Don't know her first name, but all our names will be in front of our doors come the start of school I imagine. She's got some kind of enhancement Quirk. And a strong one at that. She seems to be both fast and strong. I could barely see her leave when that Iida guy confronted her. She jumped up five floors no problem. She's definitely an interesting one. Shy but strong. And a girl! That trope is usually reserved for guys most of the time.'_

Kirishima departed from his balcony, retreating inside. He made plans with Katsuki Bakugo to check out the gymnasium and weight room that was supposedly in the basement. They agreed to meet at 12:00pm. He needed to get ready.

* * *

She plopped down on her bed, head facedown on her pillow. '_Great start, Izu. I'm sure this is the first day you wanted. You made yourself seem like a freak.'_ She weakly moaned into her pillow. Her hands went to her head and grabbed bunches of hair. More quiet screaming. '_Seem like a freak. That's optimistic. No, you just showed everyone what you're really like.'_

She thought back to her classmates. She was able to get at least a glance at seemingly everyone. Nineteen people were in the room when she entered, meaning she was the last needed to complete the class. Recalling an image of each person, she realized she _did_ recognize two other people, besides Kirishima and the pink girl. The red and white haired one, and the long black haired girl. '_They were both at the recommendation test a few months ago… I knew I'd seen them before. So they're the recommended students. I wonder… I wonder what they can do. H-How will I shape up against them? I'm also supposed to be a recommended student.' _She rolled over on her bed, looking at the ceiling. She hadn't closed the curtains when she walked in.

Thirsty. She was thirsty. She glanced at the mini-fridge, ever hopeful. '_I can't imagine there's anything in the fridge, considering I didn't bring anything…'_ The feeling of 'but what if' washed over her. She slid herself off the bed and meandered towards the fridge, popping it open. Empty. '_Well duh. You knew it would be empty. Sink water it is. Because there's no way I'm going outside yet. My head hurts enough that I can barely think for myself. I can't imagine trying to interact with another person right now.'_ She dejectedly walked over to the sink, feeling sorry for herself.

* * *

She was no doubt making her headache worse. Lying in bed, in an almost completely dark room, staring at her phone. How long had she been doing this? She tapped a button on her phone. 6:30pm. '_Wow nice going, chief. You managed to spend 6 hours reading and being antisocial on your first day of high school. Woo. Hoo.'_ She dropped her phone next to herself and rolled her eyes. She'd started browsing the internet after she finished reading the student handbook. Aizawa was right. Lots of generic info she already knew. Stuff that universally applied to basically all high schools. "Don't kill each other.", "Don't break the rules.", "Don't do this, or that." Blah… Blah… Blah… What did interest her in the student handbook as the layout of campus. Many maps were shoved into the book. Their dormitory had a gym on the basement level, alongside a pool. All manners of sports courts were only a few minutes walk away.

Her stomach growled. '_I haven't worked out today or anything. I should do that. I feel… a little better I guess. I haven't missed a day of training in… well… I don't remember a time I missed a day of training.'_ She turned on the bed, sliding her legs off and stood to walk towards the balcony. She peered outside. No one visible. '_Everyone should be inside eating I imagine. Either that or just inside for whatever other reason.'_ She slid the door to the side, shutting it behind her. She quickly looked to her left; checking for Kirishima. Thankfully his balcony was barren. Peering over the railing in front of her, she gauged the distance. '_A five story fall. If I'm just gonna land normally this shouldn't be any issue. Plus landing on dirt is much nicer than landing on concrete.'_

Without a second thought she vaulted herself over the railing. Her signature green electricity encompassed her body, focused around her legs. With a satisfying "_whoomf"_ she landed in the field. '_Nice.'_ She spun around quickly, doing a quick scope of her surroundings. She could hear what sounded like people talking coming from the rear exit. Besides that, she didn't spot another person. The field behind the dorm building was largely flat, was maybe 200 feet wide, and several times that in length. She walked about twenty seconds away from the dorm before plopping down. She sat cross legged, her back facing the dorm. She closed her eyes and focused on her Quirk. '_Training time. Use all these emotions inside you, Izu. Put them to work for you. Just as Gran Torino said.'_

She could maintain Full-Cowling 30% for about an hour when she did her basic quirk exercises. They involved increasing other parts of her body to 35%, and tensing the muscles. She figured it served as a decent method of building muscle, considering how much weight she'd actually have to lift in order to strain herself. But… truth be told she had no idea how to properly work out. Today however… she wanted to push herself. She needed to accomplish something today, lest the day be forever marked in her memory as one of failure and embarrassment.

She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. Doing nothing but breathing for however long. She didn't know, or care. Once she felt ready, she progressively powered up Full-Cowling. '_25%. Okay. This feels fine. Totally normal.'_ Green electricity arced off her. Reaching as far as two feet away. She increased to 30%. The electricity intensified. Now she began to feel the usual strain of One For All. '_I want to push myself. Higher!'_ She increased Full-Cowling to 35% all over. Again the electricity flared aggressively, extending occasionally as far as four feet off her. She simply sat for a minute. Analyzing how she felt channeling this percentage of power. '_O-Okay. My chest feels tight, but it's not the same burning sensation from a few weeks ago.'_ She sat like this for some time.

Her face turned into a grimace. Maintaining 35% was no joke. So far it had been maybe 15 minutes, max. '_Maybe I should try distracting myself. That… That works for other things. Usually I just clear my mind when doing this training.'_ Careful to maintain 35%, she let her mind wander. She thought of her mom's smiling face. She imagined the smell of pork throughout her home. Her stomach grumbled again, reminding her she'd yet to eat anything today. Her focused faltered ever so slightly. Her brows creased downwards, forming a scowl. '_I can't let that stop me now. Keep going higher. Test out this new strategy… if it even qualifies as a strategy. Think of something. Push yourself, Izu! You need to be ready for class. To make up for today.'_

She engrossed herself in a flashback, letting it fully take over her thoughts. A peaceful time from her childhood, before everything got so complicated. Her mother was pushing her in a swing. She was laughing. Her mom was laughing. Her dad was… **laughing…**

Her scowl intensified. She increased to 40% power. She spoke to herself, trying to remember Gran Torino's lessons. '_Keep this feeling, Izu. All Might used rage. Learn to do the same'_. She pictured her father's face again. Her left leg spasmed. Too much stress. '_GO. HIGHER.'_ She yelled in her mind. She wasn't aware of the small amount of tears streaming down her face. '_50% power! Reach the milestone, Izu!'_ The electricity surrounding her was raging like a storm. She faintly smelled burning grass. Still unaware, blood dripped from each nostril, a constant stream. '_Full-Cowling… 50%!'_ She felt like she was being ripped in half. Everything hurt. She couldn't think of anything besides the pain. In the back of her mind, she knew something behind her made noise. She ignored it. She tried to sit still while channeling this amount of power. Her body kept spasming. She lasted maybe a minute before she knew she was going to drop the power.

Her face was wracked with pain. An idea shot into her mind. '_Attack. 50% is where All Might said I could use most short range wind punches'._ The pain crept its way back into her thoughts. It was determined to be the center of her attention. '_No. Pain is expected. Do this, Izu. Earn this power. Prove to everyone All Might didn't. Make. A mistake!'_ More sounds from behind her. Louder this time.

She stood up in one smooth motion. She tried to keep her stance neutral. Back straight, arms by her sides. She kept twitching. Everything still hurts. She bent her knees slightly, and slowly reared her arm back. Her hair levitated around her due to the static. More sounds behind her. Someone was definitely talking near her. They didn't matter. Her singular goal was all she could grasp at the moment. A second voice. This one sounded much different.

She let her fist fly forward.

* * *

The sun had set. While talking with Jiro and Kirishima in the lounge, she spotted lights occasionally coming from the back field. Curiosity got the better of her. She excused herself from the conversation to go glance out a window. It was dark enough that she could only tell someone was sitting a bit of a way into the field. There was green electricity flying all over the place. '_Green electricity…'_ Realization crossed her features. '_That girl! That was her! That is her!'_ Ashido quickly dashed towards the rear door.

Kirishima was watching Ashido out of the corner of her eye. It was hard to talk to Asui alone. She gave very… short replies usually. He wanted to go see what she was gonna check out, but he didn't want to be rude and leave Asui alone. The frog girl spoke, interrupting his train of thought.

"You wanna go follow her, right?" His eyes met hers. Her wide eyes stared starred back, challenging him to be honest.

His hand went to the back of his neck. He slouched forward slightly. "Y-Yeah." He answered sheepishly.

"Then let's go." Just like that, Asui stood up and began walking over to the rear exit Ashido had went through. Kirishima watch her go for a beat, then came to his senses. He smiled before moving to catch up to her.

'_You're good Asui. Very perceptive.'_

The duo pushed open the door and walked out the back exit. Spotting Ashido a few feet away. She stood still, watching whatever was going on in the field. She didn't know how to interpret what she was looking at. Kirishima and Asui approached, standing on either side of Ashido. Their faces morphed into blank expressions. Three pairs of eyebrows twitched, trying to figure out what they were looking at. An electrical storm was raging just outside the dorm, at its center sat Midoriya. Kirishima spoke up first.

"That's Midoriya. The girl that Iida spooked earlier today, right?"

"Midoriya. That's her name then? She… she's the reason I passed the entrance exam at all. Is she okay? She looks to be in pain of some kind, and all this electricity is a little frightening."

"The electricity is her quirk. I think. I don't how how it works, but I saw it earlier today. It gives her increased strength and speed I think." Kirishima stated.

Ashido nodded in response. "I also saw that during the exam. She was… very impressive. She destroyed so many robots in no time at all."

Asui spoke up. "Well she is in pain. I can tell. Whatever she's doing we should stop it." She took a step towards Midoriya before Kirishima stopped her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Are you sure, Asui? This could just be her training or… something. We _are_ allowed to use our quirks on campus. Plus we don't even know if the electricity is safe to touch. There's no way to approach her and avoid it." Kirishima really didn't want to risk antagonizing the girl any more than she already had been today. No doubt today had been a terrible first day for her. Asui turned to face her classmates. A questioning look on her usually expressionless face.

"I don't think she'd be doing this if the electricity was harmful…" Ashido reasoned. Movement from the center of the storm caught her eye. "She's standing up. Do you think she's done?"

"I think we should go back inside. You guys saw what happened to her earlier. She's no doubt embarrassed by that at least…" Kirishima pleaded with the other two girls. The trio turned to look at the enigma in the field. She was doing something with her arm. And then…

A roar assaulted their ears. The wind went wild, blowing their hair everywhere. Kirishima's mouth dropped open. A huge cone of twisting wind extended out from where Midoriya stood. The force was crazy. Dirt and grass were all blown forward, making the windblast look like a huge solid projectile. It dissipated as quickly as it appeared, the lightning storm simultaneously vanished. As the wind returned to normal, the trio all glanced at each other, then to the girl in the center of the field. They all shared a thought: '_Her power is… insane.'_ They watched her carefully. She was swaying slightly, back and forth. Midoriya turned to face towards them and visibly tensed. They weren't terribly far from each other, but the darkness masked the finer features of both parties.

Without delay, Midoriya jumped up above them all and was gone. Vanishing onto one of the balconies up above. The trio waited a beat. Ashido finally broke the awkward silence that had descended on them. "I sure hope… most activities are cooperative in the hero course…"

The red head chuckled heartily, a hand on his stomach. His eyes were alive with determination, admiration, and… something else Asui noted. Kirishima spoke, still looking out at the field. "I knew she was strong… but this is something else. This is like All Might levels of power. I can't wait to fight against her. And inevitably get trashed." A dumb grin crossed his face.

Ashido pouted. '_I still haven't gotten to talk to her yet. I still need to thank you, and learn your name from you. Please show up tomorrow, Midoriya.'_ After some brief exchanges, the two girls departed back inside, still unsure how to react to witnessing their classmates power. And Midoriya's confusing departure. Kirishima remained in the field. After the girls were back inside, he walked over to where Midoriya had sat. His couldn't keep his surprise down. All the grass in the area in front of her spot was laying on its side. Some patches of dirt were new additions to the previously lush field. Likely no one would be able to tell what had happened here come tomorrow.

'_Such strength. I absolutely need to invite her to the gym sometimes. I'd bet Bakugo would be interested in her too, considering how much he values strength. I wonder what she can lift... I won't take no for an answer, Midoriya. I now know you can't help but train. Even on your worst days.'_ The redhead smiled. He was _so_ looking forward to the start of actual class.

* * *

**Friday Morning**

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Her alarm blared. She was awake, but didn't bother moving.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

'_Stoppp… So tired…'_ Memories of yesterday night flooded back to her. '_Ah… Yeah. That explains why I feel like death.'_ A small part of her mind reminded her... she did it. She smiled.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Her arm felt exceedingly heavy as she reached over to her nightstand and tapped her phone. It was almost entirely dark. Small bits of light managed their way into the room. '_Right. Gray curtains. I have to remember to replace those.'_ Her stomach made itself known. A shake rippled through her small form. '_Food. I didn't eat yesterday. At all.'_ She had no food in her room, so she knew she had to go downstairs. According to the student handbook, breakfast was available on weekdays in the dorm buildings. The cafeteria had lunch on the same days.

She went about her normal morning motions exceptionally slowly. Her regular alarm woke her up at 6:00am, so she undoubtedly had time before whatever the teacher had scheduled for today. '_Oh yeah. Am I… going to that? The note Aizawa left did say I didn't have to go. But… he preferred an even number of students.'_ She mulled over the decision as she stripped out of her pajamas slowly. Everything was sore. Everything hurt. She stalked into the bathroom and looked in the mirror. Her eyes flew open, a hand going to her upper lip. '_Blood? Did I injure myself yesterday? Enough to draw blood? How?'_ She scrunched up her face and understood what occurred. '_Nose bleed. Jeez, this must have looked bad. I'll bet I looked horrible last night. More so than usual. Thank god no one saw… me…'_ She remembered.

People had seen her. Three of them in fact. She only saw them briefly before she'd jumped back to her room. '_Kirishima, the pink girl, and the one who looked like a frog.'_ She wrung her hands, still standing in front of the mirror. '_How much did they see? How long were they standing there? Did… were any of them injured by my punch? Were they going to say something? To who? Had they already? What did they think I was doing?!'_

Her thoughts were cut short by a sharp knock on her door. She heard the man from the previous mornings voice. "Izu Midoriya. Rise and shine. Report down in 30 minutes. We're having a group breakfast."

'_What? Seriously? Its six am! The sun's barely up! Goddamned UA and their group stuff.'_ She turned towards the shower and sighed. '_This means I'll have to take a quick shower. Or… normal length shower I guess.'_ She was aware she showered for… excessive amounts of time.

* * *

What to wear? The million dollar question. '_I'm expecting some kind of physical activity today. And I'll probably go check out the weight room downstairs once we finish for the day. I am curious what kind of facilities UA has available. Considering how over the top the dorm living area is, I'd bet they have some fancy-ass weight room to go alongside it.'_ Izu wasn't quite sure why picking clothes was always such a hold up for her. She really only owned like three outfits. She picked out one of her many black tank tops, appropriate undergarments, and… '_Hmm. If I'm gonna be moving around a lot outside I should probably wear some shorts. Sweats will result in… sweating.'_ She dug around and found a longer pair of black shorts. They just barely crested her knees. '_These will do, I guess.'_

She slipped into her clothes and stepped in front of her mirror, looking herself over. '_Tanktop. Shorts. This is… a lot more exposed skin than I usually go for. My legs and arms are visible, up to my shoulders. This shirt is high cut so, I guess I'm not being excessively revealing or anything. Not like I'd ever have it the other way around.'_ Her stomach complained again, reminding her to go downstairs ASAP. She grabbed one of her zippered black sweatshirts, throwing it on. She could take it off if she truly got too hot. Shorts were already a brave move.

* * *

The elevator dinged, letting her off on the first floor. She stepped out and steeled herself, reminded of what happened last time she walked into this area. She rounded the corner. The man from earlier, Aizawa she assumed, was standing at the head of a large communal-style table with a clipboard in his hand. The table was already made. Various cutlery and plates in front of each seat. He spotted her and made a noise, motioning her to him with his free hand. She walked over.

"Izu Midoriya." He made a quick dash with his pen on his clipboard. No doubt taking roster. "Grab a seat at the table somewhere. Once everyone arrives food will be passed out." Food. Before she could form a reply her stomach did for her. Aizawa smirked, turning to look away and covering his mouth. Midoriya's head sank, hoping no one else heard that. A blush crept its way onto her face, but her hair provided cover for the time being. She chose a corner seat with no one else nearby. She quickly stole a glance at everyone who arrived before her. The raven headed one, a girl with long black hair, someone with a rock for a head, a boy with large lips, and a red & white haired guy. The multicolored boy was stealing glances at her occasionally. Thanks to her hair, it was easy to spy on people without them noticing.

She fidgeted. More people arrived. He was still looking at her occasionally. Finally someone came and sat next to him, roping him into a conversation about who knows what. As the large table slowly filled up she became more and more nervous. She glanced at the seats adjacent to hers. The one at the head of the table would certainly be Aizawa's seat. Meaning she'd only have to sit next to one other student. She let out a quiet sigh. '_One is manageable.'_

"Hi. Is it alright with you if it sit here?" A pink finger pointed to the seat to her right. Midoriya nodded, sparing herself from needing to speak for as long as possible. The pink girl pulled out the chair and sat down, then scooted herself forward. Midoriya wrung her hands. Neither of them said anything right away. Eventually, Ashido broke the silence. "We met each other briefly during the entrance exam, right?" She deliberately kept her voice low, knowing that Midoriya didn't like more attention than necessary. Another nod. '_You aren't making this easy, Midoriya…'_ It was Ashido's turn to fidget. "You were really impressive back then, you know. If you hadn't showed up and destroyed those robots when you did, I don't think I would've been able to continue the exam." She paused to let that sink in. "I want to be able to thank you properly for what you did. Could you tell me your name?"

"Mi-Midoriya. You c-can call me Midoriya." The greenette quietly answered. Ashido smiled as she turned to face the small girl completely. She leaned forward and bowed her head.

"Thank you, Midoriya, for saving me. I owe you my admission to UA. Let's both do our best, sound good?" Ashido radiated enthusiasm. It was hard to not get caught up in it and just break out into a dumb smile.

Midoriya was once again indebted to her long hair. She was blushing again, from such a heartfelt thank you from a fellow student. She turned her head slightly to look at the pink girl. "What is… your name?"

"I'm Mina Ashido! You can call me Mina though. I much prefer it to my family name." She shot a thumbs up as she said this, smiling brightly.

'_Shes so pure… She's almost hard to look at.'_ Midoriya shifted in her chair. Unsure how to continue the conversation after introductions. So she just… didn't. Mina didn't seem to mind thankfully. The pink girl took to swinging her legs forward and back, waiting for everyone else to arrive.

Midoriya's stomach was thankful that the rest of the students didn't take long to arrive. She eye'd Kirishima as he took his seat next to the blonde haired boy she saw him with yesterday. '_He always seems to have a scowl on his face… Scary.'_ She also saw the tall blue haired boy from yesterday… '_Oh joy. Him.'_ He took a seat across from her, but he averted his eyes from drifting anywhere near her. '_Fine with me... if you just want to avoid each other.'_

After Aizawa marked the last student down, he coughed to get everyone's attention. Twenty pairs of eyes turned to look down the length of the table. Aizawa began, "Welcome Class 1-A. We're going to have communal breakfasts every friday like this. For those of you who haven't finished reading the student manual yet, friday's at UA are reserved for hero combat training sessions. Today after we eat, we'll all walk to a facility nearby so you can play some team-based combat training games against one another." As Aizawa paused, murmuring spread throughout the table. A few gasped at the revelation, some looked excited, many looked worried. Aizawa coughed again, silencing the table once more. "We'll go over rules and regulations once we are on site. For now, if the four students closest to me could follow me to the kitchen to place out trays of food. I know some of you have allergies, each dish has a label of what to watch out for. That is all."

Midoriya wasn't quite sure how to react to the news. They hadn't even had class yet and they were going to battle against each other? She indeed saw in the student handbook that Fridays were reserved for special training sessions... but she couldn't have imagined they'd be doing one THIS Friday. '_Well… I'm certainly excited. A little nervous yeah, but if this is what UA thinks will help us develop as hero's, then I'll give it my all. I just wish… I hadn't exerted myself so much yesterday. I don't think I'll be able to maintain my normal 30%...'_ Aizawa snapped his fingers at her. '_Oh. I forgot I have to carry trays.'_ She stood up and made her way into the kitchen. The counters were tall enough that she couldn't reach the back wall, not without something to stand on. '_Well I'm out of luck if I want to use one of the outlets on these counters then… No way am I gonna be caught standing on a stool to reach an outlet.'_

Her stomach growled again as she eyed the trays of food, grabbing the closest one. The blue haired boy… Iida she remembered, walked next to her. She felt tinier than usual when near him. He was quite tall for their age. He bent down slightly, careful not to drop the tray he held. He spoke quietly to her as they walked "I want to apologize to you as soon as I can. Obviously I'm sorry, but saying it here and now isn't a true apology. I definitely shouldn't have acted the way I did, forcing so much attention onto you. I want to make things right, so please give me a chance to talk to you sometime in the future."

Stunned at his honesty, she gave him a curt nod, before going separate ways to place their trays down. '_Well. That was unexpected. If I'm honest, he really didn't do anything bad. Definitely nothing malicious on purpose. I have no real reason to stay angry at him. I guess I'll see how he apologizes? More so than he already did.'_ After a few more trips, all the trays were on the large table. The options were… intimidating. Izu piled her plate high, silently thankful that they could take as much as they wanted. There was _more_ than more than enough for everyone.

Midoriya ate in a comfortable silence, quietly listening to the conversations around her. Thankfully no one paid her much attention. Ashi… Mina had asked her a few things while they ate. Mainly comments or opinions on the food, which she was willing to share with the pink girl. Slowly the chatter increased as people finished eating their fill. Gauging the room, Aizawa spoke.

"Looks like we're all mostly done. Take five minutes to take care of whatever you might need to do, or go change into exercise appropriate clothes. You'll all be getting gym uniforms on Monday, but for now anything will make due. Take your plates into the kitchen. Dismissed." His tone seemingly never left room for argument. The class as a whole apparently caught onto this real fast. Everyone dispersed their own ways after bringing the remnants of their food into the kitchen. Midoriya decided to sit back down at the dinner table. She had dressed with something like this in mind.

Aizawa started moving the mostly empty trays of food back into the kitchen, stacking them up on one of the marble counters. Midoriya quickly stood up and stacked some trays, walking over to where Aizawa was standing. He raised his eyebrows at her, a questioning look in his eye. She shrugged at him. He pointed at the stack he'd placed down and started back towards the table. '_I like him. A skilled nonverbal communicator. He also seems pretty no-nonsense, which is a huge plus. Having people interrupt class has always been awful.'_

They made a couple more rounds from the table to the counter until everything was stacked up in the kitchen. Plates in the sink, leftovers wrapped and put in one of the two fridges, trays stacked. Still not a word exchanged between the two. It was nice. Aizawa nodded at her as they finished. People started to trickle back into the room only a moment later. Once everyone had arrived, they went out the back exit and started down a paved path.

* * *

Midoriya elected to walk just behind Aizawa, wanting to be the first into whatever facility they were heading towards. She felt a light tap on her shoulder. She turned to see the multicolored boy. She didn't know his name.

"Hello. I'm Shoto Todoroki." He bowed his head slightly as he introduced himself. Her eyes widened behind her hair.

'_Todoroki? So this is Endeavors son?'_ She looked him up and down. There was certainly a resemblance.

He continued, "You took the UA recommendation exam, right?" His voice was quiet and flat. She nodded.

"Y-Yes. I'm Izu Midoriya." He was easy to talk to. She couldn't sense any alternate motive in his eyes. Could he just want to talk about the exam?

"I see. It is nice to meet you, Midoriya. Iida mentioned yesterday that you also took the _regular_ entrance exam. Can I ask why? I couldn't come to an answer, considering you were already accepted via recommendations. I know you scored top of the recommendation test. I was second." Aizawa listened to the conversation silently. He too wanted to know her answer.

Midoriya felt eyes on her the back of her head. '_Someone definitely heard what this Todoroki guy said. Guess the fact that I scored top of recommended students is now public information. Should… should I just answer him honestly? I don't see how the truthful answer to that question could make anyone angry at me…'_ She paused for a beat, before making up her mind. "I also took the regular entrance exam because… I wanted to prove to myself that I was worthy of UA even without my recommendations… That… May sound pretentious, but I needed to know if I could have gotten in normally. Please don't think I'm unappreciative of my recommendations. It was a blessing to get recommended. I'm anything but unappreciative."

Todoroki nodded in response, seemingly satisfied with her answer. He spoke again, "That's an interesting answer. I understand you also placed first in the regular exam. Apparently you set a new all time record with your score."

Midoriya tensed. '_What? I did? How did he know that? Even I didn't know that, and I apparently set the record. I knew that I placed #1 on the exam, that much was told to me by the acceptance projector I received. But setting an all time record? Was he lying? What reason would he have to lie...'_ She waited a bit before answering, trying to keep her composure. "I guess I did."

Aizawa was equally confused. How _did_ Todoroki know about that? The exam rankings weren't supposed to be released to the public until the first week of school passed. '_He most likely heard it from his father. Which is… slightly concerning. Of course I know first hand that pro heroes commonly have deep information systems. But being able to get something like that? Only a handful of people have access to such information. But, why did Endeavor care? Was he just scouting the competition? Todoroki is absolutely no slouch. I've seen his abilities myself. Was he surprised that someone placed higher than his son? I'll have to mention this to Nezu next time I see him in person.'_

Aizawa stopped abruptly. Midoriya stumbled slightly, almost bumping into his back. "We're here. Welcome to the Physical Education Grounds." Aizawa gestured around him. A warehouse sized building stood tall, easily ten stories higher than their dorms. The area surrounding the massive building was similar to baseball field turf. Packed dirt. "If everyone would please line up, I'm going to draft teams based on your abilities. Teams may or may not vary in size. I haven't decided yet."

'_Non-uniform team sizes? That put a big spin on any potential game or battle. Wouldn't that also broadcast who Aizawa thought was strong and who he thought wasn't? Wasn't that… not okay?'_ Many students shared similar thoughts to Midoriya, evident by the surprised looks on many. Midoriya wrung her hands incessantly as everyone formed a line facing their teacher.

Aizawa spoke again, smiling maniacally. "Alright. Try and make this interesting for me, will you?"

* * *

Author note:

Hi. Another chapter. If you notice any typo's please point them out.

Please let me know what you think!

~Till next time.


	4. Battles Begin

"Koda, Tokoyami, Hagakure, Mineta, Kaminari, and Ashido. Step forward." Six people stepped out of the line. Aizawa pointed to a spot behind him. "You six will be team A." He flipped a page on his clipboard. "Uraraka, Shoji, Jiro, Ojiro, Sato, Aoyama." He made a 'come here' motion with his hand. "Team B, six people." Another page flip. "Iida, Asui, Kirishima, Sero. Team C." They too stepped forward.

'_Only four people in that team. I guess the last team will be the four of us still here. Okay. This is doable. Not as lopsided as I expected. I can probably rely on my teammates enough to only show 5-10% of Full-Cowling.'_ Midoriya still had no idea what any of her classmates quirks were. Then again, likely no other student knew such info, either. It would also be hard to work together with brand new people, especially considering they were all allowed to use their quirks.

Aizawa pointed at her. "Midoriya. Team D. Step forward." She took a step forward before pausing.

'_Did. Did he make a mistake? Who else?'_ She looked at his face. Still smiling. His eyes seemed far too mischevious to belong to a UA teacher. She gulped and stepped off to a side of Aizawa. She could feel people looking at her. She could hear quiet murmuring as her classmates talked among themselves. A solo team? Her mind raced, trying to justify what had just happened. She couldn't stop herself from shaking slightly as she stood quietly in her designated spot.

'_What? A team of one student? Isn't that just a death sentence? How is that fair?'_ Momo wondered. '_Wait. There are four teams already called. Three of us are still standing up here, including me. There must be an even number of teams…'_ She barely held back her gasp as she realized. '_Another one of us standing up here will have to be a solo team!'_

Aizawa's voice interrupted everyones thoughts, his tone as commanding as ever. "Todoroki. Team E. Come." He gestured to a spot a few feet from Midoriya. Todoroki seemed completely unsurprised, his expression remained neutral. Aizawa continued, "And you two; Bakugo and Yaoyorozu will be team F." The blonde haired boy didn't even try to hide the surprise on his face as he stepped off to the side with Yaoyorozu. An odd silence descended on the class. No one knew what to say. Many were glancing at the teams of one.

'_Are they just that strong? I heard from Iida that Midoriya eliminated the Zero pointer. And if what Todoroki said during our walk here is true, then she's a recommendation student AND scored first on the regular entrance exam. What is she? Already a pro?'_ Uraraka thought. She was debating if she should be thankful she has teammates, or offended that the teacher thought she _needed_ teammates. '_Well… I certainly feel more comfortable with others to rely on.'_

"Follow me inside and I'll explain the game rules and rewards." Aizawa had already turned away from the students and started to walk towards the huge building. Many followed without a second thought, staying in their groups and chatting quietly. Midoriya remained, feet planted. She was wrestling with herself in her mind.

'_Okay... Okay. Calm. You can do this. It's just a training game, nothing too serious… I think. I'd feel a lot better if I knew what my classmates could do, but… wait. "I can do this", what am I thinking? I could have to play against six other people! Six other people who managed to get accepted to UA! Meaning each is, in their own right, an exceptional hero candidate. I'm confident in myself, but thinking I can win this is just… dumb. Does Aizawa really think this is a good idea?'_ She forced her feet to start moving, not wanting to be left behind. She spotted Todoroki only a few feet ahead of her. '_Did he wait for me? The rest of the group is far ahead.'_

"What do you think of these teams, Midoriya?" He asked, his voice monotone.

She wracked her brain for an answer. '_I don't know! I feel like Aizawa is crazy doing something like this. I can't answer that right now, I have no idea what answer he's expecting. Deflect, Midoriya. Deflect.'_ He watched her simply shrug in response. He spotted her shoulders shake slightly as she exhaled, however.

'_Hmm. So you're nervous. You're supposed to be strong, Midoriya. Don't disappoint me.'_ Todoroki quickly continued, wanting to get some kind of opinion out of the girl. "I think Aizawa-sensei should have made the teams even more lopsided. Think about this; Aizawa probably doesn't care about the results of this game. This is likely a test he's conducting. Trying to gauge our decision making skills under pressure, how well we can work in a team, and how well we can react to unknown threats. My father would always fight against teams of villains with totally unknown quirks. As a hero, everyone knows what his quirk is, and what his super-moves are. Aizawa is likely trying to prepare us for situations like that, even if he hasn't said so explicitly. I fully expect to see other hero training sessions with uneven team sizes in the future. What do you think?"

Midoriya could feel the gears turning in her head. '_That's... a lot to take in. Could Aizawa really be so forward thinking? I guess… this is UA. And… what Todoroki said makes sense. Doesn't make me feel any better about it though. I wonder if…'_ "Todoroki. Are you going… are you going to try to win?" She said, eyes focused on the dirt path. She could feel him looking at her as they walked next to each other.

"Yes. I will give it my all. If I didn't, what right do I have to be at UA?" Time slowed as Midoriya truly internalized what Todoroki said.

'_He's… right. Again. What right do I have to be at UA if I'm not going to try my hardest 100% of the time? Thank you, Todoroki. You've reminded me of something very important.'_ Midoriya paused for a beat before responding to Todoroki's earlier points. "Um. Well I think what you… said earlier makes… a lot of sense. I'm still not comfortable with being on a team alone, but when are heroes ever comfortable in battle… I guess." She brushed her hair behind an ear, turning to look Todoroki in the eyes. "I'll also do my best. Thank you for the conversation." Midoriya could make out a faint sense of surprise in his eyes as what she said registered in his mind.

'_Midoriya… I wonder what kind of person you truly are. Before I even spoke to you I was interested in you because of your application status. Now… Well… Now I hope to work with you in the future. There's a special determination in your eyes. It's the same I'd see in my father's eyes whenever he'd talk about surpassing All Might. Except… maybe with less anger and hatred. Definitely less of that.'_ The rest of their brief walk was completed in silence. Everyone quickly filed through the double doors and gawked at the sheer scale of the structure inside the building.

It was a massive playground of concrete. Wavy hills, mountains, and pillars of gray concrete occupied the entirety of the middle of the massive room. Aizawa simply stood there for a moment, letting the students observe the massive structure. "This is where many of your training exercises and battles will be held. Not all, but this location has a unique advantage. Another teacher at UA, Cementoss, can mold the concrete here to create whatever kind of environment or arena we need out of concrete. Any exam or event not held here will be at one of the various other grounds. We'll go over those when we get to them during the school year."

Midoriya was speechless. Aizawa had mentioned such astonishing information so casually. She of course knew of Cementoss, but didn't know he was a teacher at UA. Having someone like him on staff would allow for, as Aizawa said, easy implementation of many different kinds of environments. '_UA really is amazing. They truly go all out to prepare their students for anything. I can't wait for class to start. Now… what kind of game will we be participating in? With a course like this? So many hills, twists, and turns. There only appear to be two flat places.' _She eye'd a spot close to the ground, a circular landing. It was surrounded on many sides by cliffs or hills. A similar flat area was visible higher up. This one was only eclipsed in height by the massive stone pillars that stood quite a ways away.

As if reading her mind, Aizawa answered her question. "Today we'll be playing King of the Hill. I'll go over the rules only once, so listen closely."

Upon hearing the game they would be playing, lots of murmuring sparked up. "King of the hill? So point capture. That should be pretty simple I hope…" someone said.

Aizawa glared at whoever spoke before continuing. "Two teams will face off against each other to control two points. To gain control of a hill, a member of your team must stand on it when no enemy members are present in the circle. You DO NOT need to have a member remain on the hill once it is captured. However, leaving a hill empty does of course mean that the enemy can capture it easily. While your team owns a hill, you will earn one point per second. If your team owns both hills, you will earn an extra point per second, for a total of three per second. The game is over after 10 minutes. At that point, whoever has more points will be the victor."

"Well that's pretty simple. We just have to force our opponents out of the circle." Kirishima smashed his hands together, ready to take on whoever.

Aizawa wasn't finished with rules it seemed… "Your team can also score a victory by eliminated everyone on the opposing team. To eliminate someone you have to clasp these handcuffs around some part of their body. If this happens to you, stop what you are doing right away and exit the course. That, or you can either immobilize or otherwise incapacitate an enemy. If you're out of the large white box on the ground, you'll also be eliminated. If an entire teams members are eliminated, the match ends in victory for the remaining team." Aizawa surveyed the students, glancing briefly at the faces of each. Many traced the large white box visible on the ground. It careened off to each side of the course before vanishing out of view. "Everyone got it?" No response came.

"Oh. I almost forgot." Aizawa faced the class fully, a crazed smile on his face. "To incentivize fighting, if any team does eliminate the other, the winners will be awarded with a 50% increased costume modification budget." He paused to let that sink in. Everyone had submitted costumes prior to arriving at the school. But a modification budget? This was news to many. But 50% sounded like a lot... "Everyone got it? Good. We'll begin right away."

Aizawa led everyone towards the massive concrete course. He looked at his clipboard again before calling out the teams. "Team C versus Team F will be our first match. You have three minutes to strategize, then we are beginning. Team C head over to the leftmost corner and wait at the blue flag in the ground. That is where you'll start from. Team F, do the same at the right corner, with the red flag. The white circle around each hill will change to your team color if you control it. Once I blow this whistle, the game has started. 10 minutes, remember."

Team C, Blue - Iida, Asui, Kirishima, Sero

Versus

Team F, Red - Yaoyorozu, Bakugo

"You're going down Bakugo! We're about to wipe the floor with you, just you wait." Kirishima taunted as he walked over to his corner, trailing just behind his team.

Bakugo responded in kind, his eyes blazing red. "YOU WISH KIRISHIMA. I'M GONNA KILL YOUR ENTIRE TEAM ON MY OWN". Midoriya didn't miss the harsh glare Bakugo shot Aizawa as he turned to walk over to his corner. Not bothering to wait for Yaoyorozu. She hurried after him, calling his name.

'_Jeez. Is he just eternally angry? And "kill"? Isn't that a little… much for a hero to say?'_ Midoriya smirked. '_You better have the strength to back up your big words, Bakugo. I'll bet Kirishima is no slouch. Well… as I said earlier, no one here should be a slouch.'_ She turned her attention towards the remaining students. There were two groups of six, and Todoroki remaining. '_I wonder which team, or Todoroki, I'll be against… Hmm. Any future exercises we do as a class will be different, as we'll know what each other are capable of. Todoroki was right. This is a unique opportunity to test our mettle against unknown forces. I will do my best, in order to become the hero All Might trusted me to become.'_ She clenched her fist, green electricity quietly roamed along her arm, its warmth was comforting.

* * *

**Team C's huddle**

Iida wasted no time. "Okay. Does anyone have any information on either of our opponents. If not then we should quickly share what our strengths are. We can save specifics of our quirks later. We don't have much time."

Kirishima spoke up. "I know Bakugo is strong. He told me he placed second in the entrance exam. He had the most villain points apparently. He's able to produce explosions from his hands at least. I don't know if he can produce them anywhere else. I imagine he packs quite a punch in close range. I don't know anything about the other girl though."

"Does anyone know anything about… Yaoyorozu I think her name was?" Iida questioned the group. Asui simply shook her head.

"I heard she was admitted through recommendations, so whatever she can do it's quite impressive." Sero shared with his teammates.

Iida had a hand on his chin. "Hmm alright. Lets quickly share what we think our strengths are. I can move extremely quickly, and my kicks really pack a punch. I think I'm best suited for fast attacks when their guards are down, or pushing someone out of the ring so someone else can capture the hill."

Asui chimed in afterwards. "I can climb any surface, and jump really high. I can probably get to the higher hill before they can, Gero." Iida nodded in response.

"Okay good, good. What about you... Kirishima?" He nodded at the red haired boy.

"I can harden my entire body. I can be pretty immovable when I want to be. When someone captures a hill, I can sit in there to rack up points and make it so they'll have to remove me if they want to control the hill." He flashed a smile, pretty proud of his own abilities.

"I can shoot tape from my elbows. I guess I'd be pretty good at locking people down by tying them up. Then we can try to handcuff them? I'm also pretty mobile, but Asui seems to have me beat when it comes to this terrain." Sero added.

"Okay. We know everyone's strengths. I'm confident that trying to formulate a plan will simply result in us limiting ourselves by trying to fill a role. Let's all just play this by instinct. Do what you think is best at any given moment. Communicate too, we have more members so we should flex our numbers advantage. Any objections?" Iida held his head high. He made a convincing argument. All the members of his team simply shook their heads.

"I like the plan, Iida. Let's crush those guys. We can make Bakugo eat his words!" Kirishima put his hand in a spot between them all. Iida and Sero followed suit, placing their hands in the middle. Asui was a little more hesitant, but eventually placed her hand atop everyone else's. "Lets do this, team!"

* * *

**Team F's huddle**

"Bakugo, what do you think we should do?" Yaoyorozu asked her hot headed teammate.

"We? What's this we shit? You can do whatever you want, Boobs. I'm just gonna wreck these fools. Eliminate each and every one of them before that damn timer goes off." Bakugo's eyes widened as he sensed a hand flying towards him. His arm flew up, blocking the attempted slap.

She let out a screech. "Boobs?! I… I can't believe you! My name is Yaoyorozu! Have some manners you cretin! Show some respect, please. We are classmates. We'll be in each others company quite frequently, mind you. And how is that a plan?! What do you expect me to do?"

Bakugo's scowl softened, just a bit. '_Maybe I misjudged you, girl. You're certainly no pushover. Hmph. Fine. You get one chance to prove me wrong.' _"What can you even do?"

She smirked. '_Well I'm glad you asked, you pompous asshole! I'm sure he'll be blown away by my Quirk.'_ She coughed before she explained. "I can create any nonliving object from the fat in my body. _Anything_."

Bakugo glanced downwards briefly, eyes narrowing. "So that's what they're for. Hmm."

Momo couldnt believe this boy! '_He's so… Crude! He doesn't even try to hide his glances at me! I cant… I won't… UGH!' _She spun away from him, a hand going to the roof of her nose. "You're impossible. Just go... do whatever you want for the test. See if I care when you fail. I'm going to capture a point and try to win."

"Me? Fail? You're gonna eat your words, girl. Just you wait."

* * *

As the time ticked down to zero, Aizawa pressed a button. A buzzer blared somewhere overhead.

Bakugo was the first to act. He launched an explosion behind himself, propelling him forward with impressive speed. He soared towards the enemy team, eyes fixated on Asui. "You're first, frog girl!" Iida sped off in Yaoyorozu's direction.

"Gero…" She couldn't help but respond at his ferociousness. The evil look on his face… Asui leaped into the air, much higher than anyone expected and landed on the side of a pillar some distance away. She continued to climb until she was out of sight. With his first target gone, Bakugo twisted himself mid air and tried to smack his hand into whoever was in range… when he felt something wrap around his ankle. His eyes shot down.

'_Tape? How?'_ He quickly followed the tape to its source. The guy with funny eyes. Bakugo's momentum still carried him towards his target, and he managed to hit Kirishima with an explosion. The redhead simply shrugged it off. '_Not good. He's the one on their team that I'm sure can tank through my hits for a while. I need to avoid him if I can.'_ Before he could strategize any further, Bakugo could feel himself being whipped through the air. He swiftly brought his arm up to shield his head. He smashed into the concrete ground, his shoulder eating most of the impact. '_That was close. That would have been a knockout blow if I hadn't shielded myself in time. I was wrong. I really can't discount anyone just yet. Need to learn their Quirks first…'_ His shoulder throbbed as he stood up without delay. '_I probably can't do any big explosions with my right side now.'_

"Go Kirishima! I'll distract him for some time. Go do what you're best at. Find Asui or Iida!" Kirishima dashed away without a response, trusting his teammates words. Sero turned to face Bakugo as the blonde dropped into a low fighting stance. They circled around each other briefly, until Sero found an opportunity to speak.

"What happened to your eagerness just a few seconds ago? Realized you're not the only one who can fight, yeah?" Bakugo seemed to forego replying, simply smirking in response to Sero's taunts. Deciding the time was right, Sero launched a strand at Bakugo's arm. It was fast. Bakugo saw it coming but was wouldn't be able to move his arm out of the way soon enough. It was going to connect. His palm exploded, forcing his entire arm backwards. The tape flew past. His other arm blew an explosion angled downwards. Bakugo carried his moment forward and knee'd his opponent in the stomach.

Sero was forced backwards, still standing though. "Right after breakfast? Dick move, dude."

Bakugo smiled. '_Huh. He's better than I thought.'_ Still with no reply, the blonde blew two explosions behind him. He lunged towards the taller teen, arms outstretched in front of him. '_He's still an idiot though. He's yet to move from his teams starting position. Meaning…'_ Sero's hands went up in a cross formation, ready to block whatever Bakugo would dish out. Before they made contact, both of Bakugo's palms exploded in Sero's direction.

'_More explosions? He's yet to reach me. What is he…'_ A split second later Sero felt himself go flying backwards from the force. '_He's… trying to force me out of bounds!'_ Sero continued to fly through the air, searching for something to grapple to… '_But I didn't move anywhere! Theres no structure close enough to latch onto! Crap, I messed up!'_ Bakugo turned away immediately, assuming Sero would touch the ground and be eliminated. He fired a large explosion under him, which launched him upwards. He prepared more explosions to fly towards one of the hills, where he suspected the rest of Sero's team to be. His palms exploded again, his lower body was propelled forward but… something felt off.

Bakugo's head was lurched backwards, the whiplash instantly making him feel nauseous. His throat felt tight. He reached his hands up and felt… '_There's tape around my neck!'_ Bakugo's eyes betrayed his normal coolness. Panic flashed across them.

"If I'm going flying out of the ring, I'm bringing you with me, Bakugo!" Sero's words rang true, as Bakugo was yanked out of the ring. His mind raced as he hurtled towards the ground. He heard a crash and a grunt as Sero hit the floor.

'_NO. DAMNIT NO! THINK! GET OUT OF THIS SITUATION KATSUKI! SHOW THESE NOBODIES WHO YOU ARE!'_

Bakugo's hands flew to his neck and, with only the slightest hesitation, exploded. Many onlookers gasped at Bakugo's actions. They couldn't believe what they just saw! Didn't that hurt?! His desperate plan worked, however; the tape disintegrated and his tether to Sero was broken. He could change his momentum now. Only a second before he would've hit the ground, Bakugo went blasting back into bounds. He landed on the ground and stood for a moment before crumpling downwards, hands grasping his neck.

Aizawa took a step forward, looking at Bakugo with slight concern, but he stopped after Bakugo shot a hand up. '_Stop. I'm fine.'_ Aizawa seemed to take his meaning. He bristled slightly upon seeing Bakugo's burnt neck however. That certainly looked painful…

The blonde had remained on the floor, writhing, for almost two minutes so far. Not because of his injuries, but because his head was racing. '_The whiplash…' _He thought. '_I have no sense of balance right now. I can't stand, let alone try to fly or regulate my Quirk… that tape guy got me good with that last attack. My neck hurts... but the pain is nothing. Can I recover my balance in time to hunt down anyone else?'_ An imagine of the black haired girl flashed in his mind. '_My teammate. What is she doing? Where is she? On a hill I hope.'_

* * *

Momo smirked as the enemies realized the pointlessness of their attacks.

BANG BANG BANG

She could hear Kirishima grunting from outside the dome she'd created. The metal was too tough even for his hardening it seemed. She could hear Iida talking nearby as well, but the sound was too muffled to make out what they were talking about.

"Bakugo is out of commission for a while at least. He may recover before time is over. We need to use the time Sero bought us to find a way into the dome Yaoyorozu created over the hill. I don't know how, but she beat both me and Asui to a hill. Since she set foot on her hill first, and she's still in there now, she'll constantly be a few points ahead of us." Iida paced back and forth just outside of the dome Momo had created.

BANG BANG BANG

Kirishima continued to smash the same place on the dome, hoping to make a dent. Unfortunately he was making no visible progress, and his hands were starting to soften.

"Any ideas, Iida? I tried to pry the thing upwards, but she managed to bolt it to the concrete somehow. I could smash the concrete the dome is sitting on, but we'd run out of time before I'm able to make any meaningful progress. Plus she'll see what I'm doing and be able to prepare. I don't see how we can get her out of there." The redhead scratched the back of his neck in frustration.

"I have one, but I've no idea if it will work. It's a long shot, and depends on Asui. I'm going to go check if she has any way to get through this. I'll describe the situation to her. If she does, I'll send her over while I defend the hill she's on. Wait here." Kirishima nodded in response. He sat down and rested his back on the metal dome, trying to recover some energy.

Momo suspected someone left the area. Words were hard to recognize, but footsteps traveled through the concrete well enough. '_I wonder what Bakugo's doing. I don't know when our opponents arrived at the hill closest to them. I hope I arrived soon enough to at least tie them. Thankfully the rules of this game allowed me to make quite a small dome, to just hide myself. There was no need to cover the entire circle in a dome, as they can only capture it if there are no enemies in the circle. This also prevents us from losing through eliminations._

* * *

Asui heard someone approaching. She crouched down and tensed, prepared to leap at a moments notice. She relaxed after hearing Iida's voice. "Asui-san! It's Iida." He crested a hill and was visible. He wasted no time. "Asui, Yaoyorozu reached the hill closer to them first and has covered herself in a metal dome. Me and Kirishima are unable to breach it, so we can't capture the hill. Do you have any ideas to-" An explosion occurred overhead, and the two classmates were showered with rock fragments. Bakugo stood before them. He was leaning on a nearby pillar for support, and look positively sick to his stomach. Shaking the dust off himself, Iida turned towards the blonde. "Bakugo, give up. I don't want to hurt you more than you already are."

Bakugo, unfazed by Iida's warning, propelled himself forward with two explosions. His arm was outstretched towards Asui. "LIKE HELL I'LL STOP. NOT WHILE YOU GUYS ARE STILL STANDING!"

Due to Iida's proximity to Asui, he leaned back and activated his Recipro Burst. He extended his arms above his head as his leg shot forward, then upwards as his body spun. His leg collided with Bakugo's arm, changing its trajectory. Bakugo was ready however, he spun his arm to face upwards and blew a small explosion, just enough to have him soar over Iida. Asui had jumped up by the time Bakugo was close, but the blonde had just managed to grab her ankle before she left his range.

Bakugo pulled with all his might, slamming Asui into the ground. She landed back first and looked stunned. '_Good. She's probably winded by that landing. This is my chance to deal with Glasses!'_ Bakugo pivoted off his right foot, spinning to face Iida with unreal speed, his arm already swiping in anticipation of an attack. And yet… Iida was nowhere to be seen. Bakugo quickly spun in a circle, trying to catch a glimpse of the blue haired boy. He didn't have long to search, as a second later he felt a tremendous force smash into the top of his head.

Bakugo was out cold. Iida had transitioned his full body spin into a handstand, and had leapt above Bakugo to deliver the finishing blow. Iida knelt down next to Asui; they still had unfinished business. "Asui, do you know of a way to get through Yaoyorozu's metal barrier?" He offered her a hand. She took it, thankful she had help to stand.

"Do you know how thick the metal is?"

"Kirishima was barely able to dent it after six hardened punches" Iida responded.

"Oh. Then my weak acid will accomplish nothing. I don't have a way to get through." Her eyes fell. '_I feel like I barely did anything in this match…'_

"Well. In that case, I suggest we let Aizawa know that we surrender. That way everyone with injuries can receive care quicker. We have lost." Iida closed his eyes and bowed his head. "No matter. There will be many more chances for us to succeed. We did good as a team."

Asui hesitated. '_We're really surrendering? Well… what Iida said makes sense. It doesn't feel good though...'_ She blinked, then replied with a sigh. "Thats… fine with me Iida." Just as she said that, a buzzer blared somewhere above. The same as when the match started.

"What? There's no way time is over. It can't have been ten minutes already." Iida exclaimed. His hands quickly rolled up his sleeves, only to remember that he'd taken off his watch for the fight.

Aizawa's bored voice was projected throughout the huge building. "A majority of the remaining members have agree'd to a surrender. You all can come back to where we started. Recovery Girl is on site if anyone has injuries that need to be addressed. Once you all have arrived we will begin the next match. After all matches are finished we can discuss the results and critique performances as a class. That is all."

"Well. That answers that question." Iida sounded dejected. Despite triumphing over Bakugo, they ultimately couldn't defeat two students even with twice as many members. Asui simply nodded, looking down at Bakugo. Iida picked him up and began to walk back to the starting area. They spotted Sero standing around, rubbing his back. He waved as they walked over. Iida laid the blonde on a sheet Recovery Girl had laid out. '_Strange. I didn't see her when we walked in. Hm. I do remember her being at the entrance exam however, with a similar sheet laid out. She certainly is the heart of UA. Her Quirk will allow us to experience true combat while in school. I must thank her later for her services.'_

Kirishima and Yaoyorozu arrived only a moment later. Kirishima looked especially unhappy. In truth, he _really_ didn't get to do anything. '_All I did was eat a blast from Bakugo… talk about a lame first training.'_ Kirishima sat against a wall. '_At least I'll be able to watch the other students compete.'_ A large portion of the class was sitting against the same wall, seeing as there were no chairs anywhere. Screens were plastered on the walls, provided aerial views of the entire concrete formation. Kirishima snorted. '_Ah so thats how everyone ended up watching the fight. Bet they got to see me just standing around.'_

"Alright. The next match will be Team B versus D. Midoriya go right. Team D, you can start talking strategy now. Once the buzzer blares, the match has started. Go." Todoroki glanced at the remaining group. They would be his opponents. He looked each person over and shrugged.

Team B, Blue - Uraraka, Shoji, Jiro, Ojiro, Sato, Aoyama

Versus

Team D, Red - Midoriya

All of team B started jogging towards their corner, eager to talk out of earshot of Midoriya. Midoriya stood up and unzipped her sweatshirt, dropping it on the ground where she had sat. '_Can't be wearing something so baggy if I'm gonna be using upwards of 15%... better just take it off now.'_ She crossed her arms, not liking feeling so exposed. She slowly walked over to her corner. Aizawa watched her go. He lowered his head slightly. This could go one of two ways...

After both teams had moved to their positions, there was non-stop chatter among the remaining students.

"Who do you think will win this match?" Iida asked Sero. Their team was all sitting together.

"What? Isn't it obvious? Of course the team with six people will win. No way can she take out so many in the time limit. Plus I have no idea how she'd even attempt to win through points. She's only one person, so she can't defend both hills simultaneously."

"That's a good point. But, we _did_ lose to a team with fewer members. I can't say who will win, but I have a feeling this match will be interesting." Iida's eyes shined with wonder. He was looking forward to seeing Midoriya in action. Due to his proximity to her during their first encounter, he got to truly experience her speed and power. As a speedster himself, he could tell she was powerful.

"My moneys on Midoriya." Was all Asui added.

"Same." Kirishima chimed in. "Of course there could be an equally powerful person on team B, but I think Aizawa made these teams so lopsided for a reason. He wants us to see the power difference there is between some members of the class. He wouldn't have put someone who can match Midoriya's power on a team with five other people. What about you, Bakugo?" Iida looked over, surprised. Bakugo was awake. His scowl had returned in full force. Nothing could keep him down for long it seems.

The blonde rolled his eyes. "I've no idea. These teams were clearly made for a reason, but I don't know anyone's powers yet. Damned teacher. Making us fight before can gather any information... It's a toss up as far as I'm concerned." Kirishima scooted closer to Bakugo, leaning over and speaking quietly.

"Bakugo you should watch Midoriya carefully. I've spoken to her only twice so far, but she seems extremely strong. Plus she works out and trains. You saw her arms and shoulders right? She's pretty fit. We should try to get her to come train with us sometime."

"What makes you think I'd want to train with more than another person? You're already a pain in my ass." Bakugo rested his hand on his knee. He barely had enough energy to be rude anymore.

"Just you wait, Bakugo. You'll see." Kirishima turned to look at Midoriya. Bakugo looked over at the girl in question as well, being far more stealthy about his gaze. She stood at her corner, rocking back and forth on her heels, waiting for the buzzer.

'_This girl is strong? Aizawa placed her above me in strength if the teams are anything to go by. That should also mean she's roughly even with the multicolor haired kid. Then... the teacher thinks I'm about even with the girl I was placed with. Yoyo or whatever. I guess I can kinda see that. I can't lie to myself. She did win the competition essentially alone. Tape guy wouldn't have been able to break her defence even if he was there. Damnit. I can't already be slipping. UA's acceptance standards are just that high…'_

* * *

**Team B huddle**

Ojiro spoke up right away. He wanted to get the most out of the three minutes they had to strategize. "Okay team. The girl we're up against is without a doubt extremely strong. I heard on the walk over here that she was admitted through recommendations, AND scored top of the regular entrance exam. We need a plan to take down a one-girl-army."

"Ca- Can we even win against her? Does anyone know what her Quirk is?" Uraraka asked, eyes shifting over to look at their competitor.

"Well we know she's very fast, from when she ran away from Iida." Jiro stated, arms crossed.

Shoji spoke up this time, "Well regardless of her abilities, we need a plan to stop her. We can either play the long game by racking up points through controlling the hills, or we can try to eliminate her with the handcuffs or pushing her out of bounds. It might be easier to try and beat her through points. She can't be in two places at once, so we have a huge advantage when it comes to the hills. What say you guys?"

"I agree with Shoji" Uraraka murmured. "We should probably try to win through points."

"Well if she's so powerful, what if we can't last 10 minutes against her? What will we do then? Try to cuff her all at once?" Sato asked. He fidgeted around, clearly not comfortable with a six on one.

Ojiro took the stage again. "Okay okay. Lots of ideas and thoughts flying around. We don't have time to go over each of our Quirks niches right now. Let's play for ourselves. Try to win get points or eliminate the girl if you see a chance. Prioritize staying in bounds and racking up points. I think thats our best chance at winning." Everyone nodded in agreement. "Good. Aoyama, do you have anything to add?"

"Don't look at me while I'm firing my beautiful beam. I wouldn't want to blind my own teammates on accident." He flashed a sparkling smile to accentuate his point.

"Okay we have a basic gameplan. Lets see what happens. Think on your feet everyone, I'll try to keep tabs on her position at all times and let you guys know when I can." Shoji finished off their huddle. They all broke off and got into position at the corner of the stage.

* * *

**Team D huddle**

Midoriya's mind was clear. She was trying to avoid getting worked up just before the game. Afterall, this was her first real lesson at UA. She brushed her hair out of her face, swaying slightly on the balls of her feet. She closed her eyes as she rocked back and forth

'_Calm, Izu. Calm. Remember how you were during the entrance exam. Nothing but business. Also… its not personal. Sure the groups are weird, but the other students should realize the groups purpose. I hope. Aizawa sure doesnt mind sharing his opinions of students. Which is both comforting and slightly scary.. What if he doesn't like you or doesn't have faith in you? I hope he'd keep his personal opinion of students out of his teaching… Wait what am I saying? Of course he would. He's been a teacher at UA for years. Its UA! Have faith, Izu.'_ She brushed her hair back again, eyes still closed. A thought crossed her mind. '_Hairband. I brought one. It's in my sweatshirt pocket.'_

She turned around to look where she left her sweatshirt. It was near Kirishima and that Bakugo guy who just fought. She started to walk over, trying to look directly at her destination. As she got closer she could feel numerous pairs of eyes on her. Kirishima was plainly looking at her as she approached, his head tilted up as to greet her. Bakugo was stealthily looking at her. He was pretty good at hiding his gaze, she had to admit. But she was better. She'd been doing it for a decade.

"Forgot something?" Kirishima asked her with a smile. She lightly nodded at him as she walked right beside him and fished through her jacket pocket, finding the black hairband. Not confident in her ability to walk and tie up her hair, she simply stood up and started doing it right there. Midoriya typically only wore her hair up when she knew she'd be moving around a ton. Her face and eyes were now clearly visible.

'_I'll have to be more careful who I look at, and for how long now that people can see where I'm looking. God I can't wait to take this damned thing off…'_ She sighed as she started walking back to her corner. She felt so… naked. '_Which is ridiculous, Izu. There are other girls here proudly wearing a lot less than you.'_ She chastised her own thoughts, but she still couldn't deny the sinking feeling in her gut. She spared a quirk glance at Bakugo, wondering if he was still looking at her. Their eyes met. She quickly looked away.

Almost immediately after she arrived back at her corner, the buzzer rang loud and clear. The match had started.

Midoriya's eyes flared as she was surrounded by green electricity.

'_Showtime.'_

* * *

Authors note:

Hi. I'm not entirely sure how I feel about this story so far. I feel like I'm maybe stretching stuff out too much? I will certainly utilize time skips later on.

I'm trying to stress that everyone in the class is kind of a badass. Well, characters that I plan to write. I have no intention of ever using Aoyama, Mineta, and a few others. Too hard to use in a way that makes sense to the tone of the story. Sero got some time to shine, and others will too! The main 3 will still retain their dominance though.

If you're worried I made Midoriya too OP, I encourage you to be patient and read on! I have some really cool ideas planned. In order to have the power not be "gamebreaking".

If some scenes ever feel 'boring' please let me know. I'm trying to learn to better pace stuff.

Still debating on pairings I want to do.

How is chapter length? Should I aim for longer or shorter?

Please point out any typo's or bad English! I don't have a beta reader so I'm trying to catch all mistakes myself.

* * *

Review responses:

Kieraii: It could be!

Hawkster222: Thanks! I have a backstory in mind already that will slowly show itself.

Tiguylerobot: That's one way to interpret it I guess. I didn't explicitly write her to have autism, but I could see how her actions are similar to someone with autism. Maybe that could be an interesting thing to include later. I'll certainly think on it!

Silveristhelight: Thanks :D! Yes things happened. Also yes. Still undecided on what I want the male characters to do in reaction to her. I have solid ideas for Kirishima and Bakugo, but Todoroki and Iida are question-marks for me atm. Also in time more will be revealed about her father.


	5. Overwhelm

Midoriya wasted no time. She instantly powered Full-Cowling up to 8%, leaping to the top of a nearby hill to get a better view of the arena. Because of her speed she was able to get into position to see her opponents fanning out in various directions. Two of them were running in her direction.

'_The blonde guy has a large tail… That's an easy enough Quirk to understand. The brown haired guy seems rather fit, he's also holding a small metal vial in each hand. Projectiles? I'll have to keep an eye on what he does with them. Well, I'm going to let them approach me to see what they do. I definitely want to be reacting to their actions until I can eliminate some members. I don't want to be overwhelmed, or rush into multiple people who's Quirks I don't know.'_

Midoriya stood on her perch, watching as the two boys continued to sprint towards her. They would likely arrive in about fifteen seconds if they kept the same pace. The other four members were no longer visible, but she wasn't worried about them just yet.

'_With my current position being so close to a corner, there's really only two directions to approach from. I should easily notice if someone approaches that isn't these two guys.'_

After a moment of running, Sato decided he was close enough. He popped the top off one of his vials, not wanting to use both at once due to how quickly his strength wore off. He downed the contents and his muscles swelled and bulged; he used the extra strength to increase the speed of his approach dramatically. With two strong strides he was at the bottom of the hill the green haired girl was standing on. She'd still yet to move. Ojiro flanked him, landing nearby. They exchanged a quick glance, nodded at each other, then simultaneously pushed off the ground.

The ground under Sato cracked as he pushed off, lunging at the girl with surprising speed. The tail-user leaned back and pushed off the ground with his tail, springing himself into the air and kicking off a nearby pillar.

'_Hmm. The brown haired guy is a little fast. He certainly seems to focus on strength rather than speed. He got stronger after eating whatever was in that vial. Interesting Quirk. The tail guy doesn't seem like much of a threat. They're both flying at me from the same direction, just different heights. That's no good.'_ Izu made a face of disapproval, the corner of her mouth raised slightly. '_Their quirks certainly have potential, but they obviously lack fighting experience. Nor do they know how to work together. But that one is obviously forgivable.'_

Midoriya simply side stepped as the two teens flew past her. She clasped her arms behind her back as she continued to think about what she was seeing.

'_What? She dodged so quickly… and why does she seem so distracted? She wasn't even looking at either of us. You think we're not even worth your time? I'll show you, green girl!'_ Ojiro was about to lash out again, but the rational part of his brain realized what she was probably doing. '_She's gathering information about what we can do. She's in a six on one, so her top priority is probably figuring out what shes up against. Once she knows what each of us can do, she'll start taking us out one by one.'_ This was when everything clicked in Ojiro's brain. '_She must know she has us both outclassed, thats why shes looking off in the direction our teammates went!'_ His thoughts were interrupted when he heard her speak in a quiet voice.

"H-Hey, I don't wanna embarrass you guys or... hurt you." She was still facing away from them as she spoke. "But… I can't imagine you guys will give up just like that, right?" She made eye contact with Sato, who'd spun around to face her after his leaping strike missed. He stopped his sprint midway. His legs shook, arms up in a defensive stance.

'_What. What is happening? What am I doing?! Why am I so… intimidated? She's so short, go get her Sato!'_ He swallowed. It slowly dawned on him where the sinking feeling in his gut came from. '_Her words… she doesn't want to embarrass us. It felt like… that felt like the truth. I didn't sense any ego or get the feeling that she's lying to us. That's… what she truly believes will happen!'_ As Sato searched for the motivation to move, Ojiro leapt forward, propelling himself off the ground with his tail. He twisted mid air and lined up a huge sweep with his tail.

'_She's glancing back at me over her shoulder. Her back is still to me and her arms are clasped. It doesn't matter how fast you are, girl, you can't dodge in that position from this distance!'_ As Ojiro's tail came within a foot of striking his target, a strange sensation washed over Ojiro. Time froze. '_But… I'm aware that time is frozen? What's happening? Why can I think but not move any part of my body?'_ He focused intensely on the scene before him. '_Wait… stuff is moving, it's just really slow. I can see my tail inching ever so slowly towards her. What is happening?! Is this her quirk? She can stop time?! Why can I think as normal though?_'

His surprise reached its peak as he saw her arms unclasp. She seemed to be moving at a normal speed. '_What? She can move now? I'm still frozen!'_ Ojiro watched her turn around and bring a hand up to catch his blow. She didn't appear to be moving exceptionally fast, but everything else was slowed down in comparison to her movements. In an instant Ojiro's perception of time was returned to normal. His body completed the striking motion he'd intended, but his tail connected with her waiting palm. She seemed to absorb the impact with no issue. She stood, unflinching and seemingly unaffected by his heavy blow. He panicked as he felt her grip his tail.

Green electricity surrounded her arm, and with incredible speed she flung him to the side. With no way to change his momentum or trajectory, he flew out of the ring. He landed gracefully, sliding on the concrete before righting himself. He stood up quickly. '_I… I'm out. What just happened to me? Was that all her doing?'_ He held his hands out in front of him, giving them questioning looks. He glanced back at where Sato was standing… still? '_Is Sato also frozen? No I can see him moving at normal speed. Why is he… shaking?'_ As if reading Ojiro's mind, Sato turned around and walked out of the ring. Just like that.

Ojiro was dumbfounded. "Dude, why did you do that?!" His hands shot up to accentuate his point, and his frustration.

"What she said earlier. She wasn't lying. Her concern for us was real. I… I can't compete against her right now." Sato explained his actions, looking sorry for himself as he stared at the ground.

Most onlookers were equally confused. Midoriya had seemingly eliminated two enemy members while barely doing anything herself! Ojiro caught Sato's gaze. They had shared similar experiences of helplessness in such a short period of time. He glanced back at the green girl. Her electricity was gone, and she was facing them. Her concerned expression was plainly visible. She took a full step towards them, her arm slightly outstretched in their direction before she abruptly stopped. She recoiled her arms, before they slowly relaxed to rest at her side.

She turned back to face the hills their teammates had run to at the start of the game. She stood, unmoving, for a number of seconds. Ojiro and Sato watched her dash off after her brief pause. Green electricity once again surrounded her. They turned to look at each other, exchanging a look that confirmed their similar experiences. Ojiro sighed. He'd been defeated so easily.

'_Well. That's UA for you. It has certainly lived up to its reputation so far. No wonder it's attracted such strong people.'_ He smiled at the thought. '_And there are bound to be more strong people in the class. They're my classmates. I… I look forward to working with them, most of them anyways. But I clearly have much to improve on if I want to be any competition for the upper echelon of the class.'_ Ojiro smiled, a determined look in his eyes. He clapped Sato on the shoulder, breaking him out of his own thoughts no doubt. "Lets go, Sato. We can watch the rest of the match with the rest of our class."

* * *

"It sounds like Ojiro and Sato were eliminated." Jiro said as she retracted her earjack. Her expression was grim, clearly not liking what she heard.

"Already? It's not even been a minute since we started…" Uraraka exclaimed. "Should we abandon this hill now that we've owned it for a little bit? To go team up with our other members? Even if she captures this hill she won't pass us in points immediately."

"I… I'm not sure. If you think that is the right thing to do then I'll follow. I'm not too sure how us two would fair against her if we ran into her. As I said, I can't change my attack trajectory without stopping to aim again. So unless she's immobilized I won't be much use against her. Shoji could probably immobilize her if he grabbed her I guess."

"Yeah… I can't exactly immobilize her, but if I _could_ touch her once I could greatly lower her maneuverability."

"So lets make our way over to Shoji and the french guy." Jiro's eyes met Urarakas. She was nervous. '_Well that makes two of us, Uraraka…'_

Just as they stepped out of the circle, a green blur whizzed by them, followed by a slight rush of wind. Midoriya stood about 10 feet in front of the duo. Green electricity surrounded her, arcing off of the nearby terrain. Jiro could feel her intense gaze bore into them. No one spoke.

Finally the silence was broken. Midoriya's quiet voice washed over the two girls. "What are your Quirks like?" Uraraka could sense the legitimate curiosity stemming from Midoriya's question. She had no doubt it was genuine. Out of the corner of her eye, Uraraka spotted Jiro's earjack snaking down her back, towards her feet. She knew what she had to do. Distract.

Uraraka answered honestly, hoping to take advantage of Midoriya's unfiltered curiosity. She also wasn't confident in her ability to come up with a different quirk on the spot. She needed to sound convincing, so the truth it was. "My quirk lets me make anything I touch with all five fingers weightless. I do have a weight limit, though. I can end the effect by touching my fingers together like this." She demonstrated the motion.

Midoriya's eyes lit up at the honest answer. The gears in her mind turned, formulating various questions she hoped to ask at some point. However… '_The other girl is up to something. She isn't paying attention to what either of us are saying. She's focused on something else. I saw earlier that she has some funny looking earlobes. A mutant type quirk of some kind…'_ Midoriya's eyes swapped from Uraraka to the black haired girl. Jiro narrowed her eyes as Midoriya unabashedly scanned her up and down.

Jiro slowed her actions as Midoriya looked at her. '_What an intense gaze…'_ She swallowed, feeling a bead of sweat form on the side of her head. '_Keep going, Uraraka! I'm almost there! I can't signal her at all, not while Midoriya is staring at me… Should… should I just go for it? No. No, I can't throw away this chance. I need to count on Uraraka to get her attention again. My chance will come!'_

Jiro internally squealed as Uraraka spoke up, asking a counter question. "What about yours, Midoriya? You seem to have quite the impressive quirk. Aizawa-Sensei certainly recognized that, considering he placed you on a team by yourself." Midoriya's eyes didn't move off of Jiro as she answered.

"I can power-up my body. Move fast and increase my strength. That's all." She nodded at Jiro, their eyes locked in an intense battle of gazes. "W-What about you?"

Jiro opened her mouth to answer before she had even thought of an answer. However, she was saved from stuttering, as Midoriya was hit square in the back by a blinding laser. At the same time, one of Shoji's arms extended and swept Midoriya's legs out from under her. Jiro was a millisecond away from plugging her earjack into her boots, but stopped as she realized; '_Crap, now my teammates are in the way! I'll have to look for an opportunity to handcuff Midoriya if Shoji manages to restrain her.'_

Midoriya hit the ground, letting out a surprised grunt. She whipped her head behind her. She saw the multi-armed guy and the Frenchman a number of feet behind her. '_The other students. How did they know to show up?' _Her eyes darted over both new arrivals. She paused, looking at the tips of the larger guys extra arms. _'Ears... he can make ears? He probably heard me talking to these two girls, and knew to come and ambush me.'_

Her hand rested on her chest as she breathed. '_I wasn't prepared for whatever hit me in the back. I was completely shields down. Not good, I can't afford to take another hit like that.'_ She heard someone kick off the ground. She saw Uraraka lunge towards her out of her peripheral vision. '_She wants to make me weightless? It will be hard to move around if that happens. They'll probably be able to push me out of bounds. I guess… I guess I have to use a little more.'_

'_One For All: Full-Cowling… 15%!'_

Time slowed to a crawl as the electricity flared aggressively around Midoriya. She pushed off the ground, landing on her feet in one fluid motion. Uraraka's dash seemed to be moving at a snail's pace. Midoriya closed the distance between them in four steps. She stepped around the girl, electing to chop the back of her neck. Her body moved downwards. As Uraraka started to drift towards the ground, Midoriya took a moment to try and figure out what the other girl was trying to accomplish earlier. Now behind the duo, she could see the black haired girls ear's had extended down towards her boots.

'_Interesting. I wonder what she can accomplish by doing that. How far can they extend? What do they plug into? Can she actually hear things if she plugs them into technology? I wonder…'_ Midoriya continued to think of various applications of the dark haired girls quirk as she delivered a second chop to the other girls neck. Time resumed normal speed. The first thing the two males registered was the rush of wind that blew past them. They looked at the ground, and were surprised to _not_ see the green haired girl. She had been there only a moment ago…

Two bodies collapsed lightly onto the ground. Shoji gasped as he saw Midoriya standing between Jiro and Uraraka. They were both crumpled on the ground, groaning as they rubbed the back of their necks. '_She took them out instantly? They aren't unconscious, but likely can't fight anymore if their groans are anything to go by.' _He spared a glance at the Frenchman to his right. Aoyama seemed unfazed by Midoriya's show of power. He simply stood in his pose from earlier, eyes darting between the two girls on the ground.

Midoriya's voice broke the brief silence. "I'm assuming you shot me in the back with that, right?" She pointed at the belt around Aoyama's waist. "How's it work? It just felt like an impact, no burning."

Aoyama smiled. "Well, if you must know my Quirk is-"

Shoji took the opportunity, his eyes narrowed. He wrapped three of his arms around each other in a twist, and extended them all at once. Almost instantly his reach was tripled. The punch soared towards Midoriya's upper half. He couldn't be very precise with his aim at this distance, but he was confident he would hit her. '_This'll get her!'_

The octopus-man smirked under his mask in satisfaction as he felt his fist connect. His confidence was shattered as he realized a moment later what had actually happened. His hands ached. It felt like he'd punched a wall. '_She… she caught my punch?! At this distance?'_ Midoriya had a surprised look on her face as she glanced down at the large triple-fist she was now holding.

'_That was… way faster than I expected. His limb extension is almost instantaneous. Plus that actually packed a decent amount of force. If I didn't increase to 15% there, that hit would have forced me backwards a little. He's impressive.'_ She chastised herself for being so careless, almost two times in a row. In a similar manner to Ojiro's elimination, Midoriya gripped Shoji's fist and swung her arm to the right. Shoji had no choice but to follow his arm as he was unceremoniously thrown out of bounds. He landed in a heap, his arms retracting to normal length.

The greenette turned to face the last remaining member. He still seemed unfazed by her demonstration of power. The electricity around her flared as she zipped behind him. She found what she was looking for, quickly undoing a latch on the back of the belt. It fell to the ground a moment later. She could see him tense up, but he didn't turn to face her.

'_Well. I guess I won. That seems to be everyone disarmed. Plus I got to learn about their Quirks!'_ Smiling to herself in satisfaction, she surrounded herself in electricity one last time. She briefly glanced at the two girls, still groaning on the ground. A brief look of guilt flashed across her features. She jumped out of the ring, and immediately the buzzer blared over head. Aizawa announced the winner.

"Uhh. Midoriya is out of bounds and… Team B win's via elimination."

* * *

The first thing Midoriya did upon landing outside the white border was remove her hairband. Her hair fell down, resting in its usual spot. Instantly she felt much more relaxed. She walked back towards where the rest of her class was sitting. She could feel many confused sets of eyes on her. No doubt many were questioning her decision to throw the match after she had it won.

Aizawa watched the greenette meander back to her spot. '_So she threw the match after showing she could win. I should have expected this when I promised to increase costume budgets… No doubt some selfless bastard would give up a victory to give that many classmates a boost. This will be a much bigger hit to my wallet than originally anticipated…'_ A hand pressed against his temples as he quietly cursed himself for making such a stupid promise.

She approached Kirishima and Bakugo, the two who were sitting closest to where she'd left her sweatshirt. She stole a glance at both of them, confident in remaining hidden behind her wall of hair. Kirishima was giving her a, rightfully, confused look. Bakugo was only looking at her with the side of one eye, so she couldn't decipher his expression. But his gaze felt… angry. '_As before, he really doesn't want to be caught looking at me. He's seems so… upset... usually. Like it's his default emotion. Either that or anger. Hm. Sounds like someone I know.'_ She rolled her eyes at her lame self deprecation.

She scooped up her sweatshirt, throwing it on without a second thought. She plopped down, leaning against the wall before scooting to the right. '_I'd rather not be so close… if I can help it. But I'm relieved to have my sweatshirt on again... And I'm glad I didn't start sweating during that match. That would've been awful…'_

Kirishima leaned towards her as she settled down. "Hey… you know you lost, right? You had them all subdued, but you walked out of bounds? What were you trying to prove by doing that?"

'_Trying to prove? Hmm. I guess I see where he's coming from.'_ She turned towards him, answering. "W-Well I never wanted to win against them... I'd rather… rather let them have the increased costume budget. Better for six people get it. I didn't have… an agenda going into the match. Be-Besides maybe learning Quirks."

Midoriya's match had only lasted around two minutes. Considering the first match was also called off before the ten minute mark, and there was only one match remaining - they probably wouldn't remain here for much longer. '_We'll have more time remaining in the day than I thought… Maybe this is a good opportunity to ask if she wants to come with me and Bakugo to the weight room.'_ Kirishima turned towards the explosive blonde. Their eyes met and Kirishima raised his eyebrows. The two engaged in a silent conversation. Various eyebrow movements, nods, shakes, and jerks later, a consensus had been reached. '_Okay. Bakugo doesn't seem too thrilled, but he didn't explicitly say no either… I knew you'd come around to her, you fool.'_ Kirishima smirked to himself, glad that his read on Bakugo earlier was correct. '_You can't help yourself when it comes to strength. I bet that's what draws you to being a hero, explosion boy.'_

Five pairs of footsteps caught the attention of all those nearby. All of Team B, minus Sato and the Frenchman, approached the small green girl. As this happened, in the distance Aizawa could be heard calling the last matches participants up to their spots.

The clatter of feet on concrete stopped as they stood a few feet away from their target. Shoji was the first to break the tense atmosphere. "Midoriya… why did you throw the match?"

Ojiro followed up immediately. "Are you trying to embarrass us more than you already did? What gives?!" The two girls of the group stood farther back, simply waiting to hear her answer. Kirishima, having just heard the answer to the same question, opened his mouth to speak in her defence. He was interrupted by the small girls voice.

"I didn't think it was f-fair to take the costume budget from six people. One person budget increase… versus six. That's what I made my decision off of. I… I-I didn't mean for it to be offensive." Her head rested on her knees, which were curled up in front of her.

Ojiro let out an exasperated sigh. He walked away without another word. Shoji stood for a moment, not quite sure what an appropriate response to her answer was. Uraraka spoke up from behind him. "Th-Thank you, Midoriya. I'll ask Aizawa sensei if I can share some of my budget increase with you. That's only fair, considering what you did for us." Midoriya looked up at the brown haired girl. Clearly not the response she was expecting. Uraraka bowed deeply towards the greenette. Midoriya's blush was thankfully hidden. Shoji and Jiro nodded in agreement.

As Shoji and Uraraka made their way back to where their belongings were. Jiro lingered a bit longer. She looked down at Midoriya's small form. She bit her lip and said, "You know… none of these exercises should be taken personally. Right? Ojiro's not thinking clearly if he's personally offended by the outcome of a class lesson. That's what this is, and we'll have many more like it in the future, I'm sure. So… you shouldn't worry about offending anyone with your actions." Jiro's eyes narrowed, she could just barely make eye contact with Midoriya through her curtain of hair. "And you should always try your best to win. Even if you think winning isn't the best outcome for the overall group."

Jiro flashed her a smile before turning to walk away. '_I know. I… know she's right. Nothing should be taken personally, and I should only focus on myself and my own performance. I need… I need to work on that last part. Gran Torino said that thinking too much was both a strength and a curse. I always thought he meant in battle, but… it holds true outside as well.'_

Midoriya sighed as she lost herself in her thoughts. She was vaguely aware that after some time the buzzer blared above her. The last match had started. '_It's only been one day and I feel like I've already made myself a polarizer… And everyones… everyones so wise and smart. I don't feel like I have any words of wisdom to impart to anyone.'_ The buzzer blared overhead, again. '_What? So soon? What happened?'_ Midoriya lifted her head up from its spot on her knees. A large portion of the concrete arena was covered in a sheet of ice. She looked to the right, her eyes widening at what she saw.

All five members, and a floating pair of clothes, were stuck. Their feet were embedded in ice that covered a majority of the concrete course. They'd barely moved a foot from their starting position. She looked to the left, towards the source of all the ice. Todoroki was already walking back towards the class. Aizawa's voice broke her stare.

"Team E, Todoroki, has won the match via elimination. Everyone please return to the rest of the class so we can discuss the results as a group."

The ice covering a surprising portion of the stage seemed to melt away on its own. The six members on the far right were unabashedly stunned at how quickly the match had ended. There was no competition.

* * *

Midoriya wasn't able to pay full attention to the group discussion on the results of the exercise. Her mind had shifted into overdrive, trying to come up with an answer to what Kirishima had asked her after the last match ended. '_Do I want to go train with him and the other guy after the discussion? I stupidly mentioned that I had already planned to go check it out before he'd asked me. Meaning I can't back out with the excuse that I have something else to do…'_ She wrung her hands nervously, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she waited for the discussion to end.

After what felt like an eternity the crowd of students dispersed slightly, some headed towards the exit. '_I feel a little bad for not listening to everyones thoughts on the exercise… but at the same time I can't imagine too much insight was able to be drawn from this. Aizawa is still learning how each of us operate alongside our quirks. Most feedback must have been fairly superficial.'_

"So Midoriya, do you have an answer? Me and Bakugo were going to head there now." Kirishima said from somewhere behind her. She turned to face the redhead, seeing Bakugo standing next to him. He had an air of 'standoffish-ness' to him that really put her on edge.

'_Is he ever not like this? Kirishima seems to have a pretty good understanding of him, so there must be more to him.'_ Kirishima raised his eyebrows at the girl as she was lost in her thoughts. She blinked, realizing he was waiting for an answer.

She answered while looking at her feet, her voice quiet. "Um. I-I don't know if I'll actually do any exercise there. I havav-" She stuttered. She closed her eyes briefly, taking a deep breath as she tried to right her thoughts and regain her composure. She continued after a brief moment. "I have to see what is… available to know if it will actually be of… any use to… me." Bakugo scoffed at her.

"So you're coming then? Great. Lets go, Kirishima." Bakugo didn't wait for a response. He turned to leave the building and began walking, rolling his eyes as he did. Kirishima turned to her, wincing slightly.

"He's not always like this. I mean, I've only known him for a little over a day, but I'm sure he gets better as you know him. He's already not as bad as he was yesterday, for me at least... Give him a shot, okay?" Kirishima reasoned. Midoriya was a bit taken aback by Bakugo's bluntness and harsh tone, but she had _some_ faith in Kirishima's judgement. He'd been nothing but polite so far. She'd trust him for the time being.

'_Worst comes to worst I can leave. With or without an explanation.'_ She concluded. Kirishima walked after Bakugo, and she followed just behind.

They walked in silence for some time. Midoriya questioned if the silence was a good or bad thing. She didn't know. Eventually Bakugo broke the silence. He said "Hey green, you could've beaten those losers on the other team nearly instantly, right? What did you think about the other solo teams match? If you'd even consider that a match." He still looked forwards.

She thought on his question for a moment, surprised that he actually cared enough to ask for her opinion. However, she didn't actually see what Todoroki had done in his match. She had her head down until the very end of the match. She only saw the aftermath; when everything was covered in ice. "Um. It was very… fast. I wasn't looking until it was over. Sorry." Was her reply.

"It was pretty impressive! Todoroki managed to incapacitate every member on the enemy side simultaneously. I don't know if I would've been able to avoid his ice attack. It was probably too fast for me to dodge." Kirishima said, answering in her stead. Bakugo said nothing in response. Kirishima continued, "Your match was also super impressive, Midoriya. What did you end up doing to Sato, though? From the look of it, he just gave up."

'_Crap. How do I answer this. I don't know why, Sato was his name apparently, walked out. I know he said something to the tail guy after doing so, but I couldn't hear it.'_ She decided to answer honestly, despite how unsatisfying the truth was. "I… didn't do anything to him. He walked out after I d-dodged his first strike, without a word to me.

Thankfully the rest of the walk was completed it silence. This left Midoriya with time to collect and organize her thoughts and emotions in preparation for the coming… thing. '_What do I even call what I'm doing right now? Going to train? We don't know if that will happen. A… visit to the gym with my classmates? That's… a mouthful.'_

* * *

The trio arrived back at class 1-A's dorms after the brief walk. Midoriya followed Bakugo and Kirishima downstairs. She had to suppress her excitement as she walked into the weight room/gym. The room had mats covering the floor and a large section of the walls. There were exercise machines crowded over in a corner for every imaginable muscle group. Similarly to upstairs, there was a collection of benches and weight racks holding many different ranges of weights. The room smelled faintly of chlorine. Midoriya looked to the left and saw a door leading to a tiled room, no doubt containing the pool she had heard about earlier.

As she was surveying the room, Bakugo had turned towards her. Noticing his gaze, she turned towards him. He spoke, asking "What does your normal training regiment look like, being an enhancement type Quirk user?"

Her eyebrows creased in a questioning look. "Do… Do you mean training my body, or my Quirk?"

"It's the same for enhancement types, Isn't it? You would know better than me, considering you've had it for years now."

"Well… I'm actually not confident the training I'm doing is… correct? My Quirk is an accumulation based enhancement Quirk. I didn't actually know I had a quirk until about a year and a half ago…"

Bakugo shot Kirishima a look. Another conversation occurred exclusively through facial expressions and looks. Kirishima shrugged. Bakugo closed his eyes briefly, thinking on the information. '_She's clearly incredibly strong. And yet she isn't sure if the training she's doing is correct? What kind of bull shit is that? Is she lying? She doesn't seem like one to be disingenuous, though. And accumulation based enhancement? I've… never heard of that subtype of Quirk before. If that's true then she is pulling this extra energy, which enhances her speed and strength, from a finite pool. Is that correct? Considering the energy she's output so far that seems hard to believe. Accumulation Quirks are typically emitter types. And they run out of "fuel" rather quickly after outputting massive amounts of projectiles or energy itself.'_

Bakugo was wrestling with his extensive Quirk knowledge, trying to make sense of the girls statements and what he saw her do earlier. He needed more information from her. "Well you haven't answered my earlier question. What does your normal training regiment look like?"

Now it was Midoriya's turn to stop and think. '_Do I really want to reveal more information to these guys? I don't think they have any ill-intent… at least none that I can pick up on.'_ She paused as she remembered her time training with Gran Torino. After they'd finished combat training, he'd encouraged her to find someone she could improve alongside. Someone that could learn from her and she could learn from. She made up her mind then. "I… I would usually spread my power throughout my entire body, and strain my muscles to try and get them used to being stressed under the effects of my Quirk. I'd usually do that for an hour or two before I'd tire out."

Bakugo's eyes widened. What she said had insane implications. '_She can hold that level of power for an hour or more? Does that mean the pool she's pulling the energy from is just ridiculously huge? Or does it mean she doesn't actually "spend" any of the accumulated energy if she doesn't move? Is it something else entirely? I… do I want to just ask her that?'_ Bakugo hesitated. He glanced over at Kirishima, who had started placing weights on a machine he was planning to use.

"So as an accumulation type, do you NOT use energy from your accumulated pool if you don't move then? Does it just use significantly less? Considering the power you're capable of outputting, or atleast what you've shown thus far, it's hard to believe that you can maintain it for an hour or more if it consumes energy all that while. Have you ever had a sparring session for the same duration of time that it normally takes for you to get exhausted? Did you run out of energy faster?"

'_Woah. He certainly knows a lot about Quirks. I… I haven't tried that yet. Sure I've done exercises for long periods of time with One For All active, but not exactly a sparring session. Sure I've fought against Gran Torino for a while, but nothing of that length. That would be like martial arts training or something… right?'_ "I haven't... had a sp-sparring session like that." She confirmed.

One of Bakugo's hands went to his chin as he tilted his head up in thought. Sounds of clanging metal came from the right. Kirishima was still setting up a machine, piling up more and more weight onto a bench press bar. Bakugo was falling down a rabbit hole of Quirk questions.

The girl before him was an enigma. He would've called her crazy, and a liar, if he hadn't witnessed her power firsthand. '_She is the real deal when it comes to enhancement power. Definitely on the stronger end of enhancement quirks I've seen. And if it's an accumulation type? That has major implications for her growth potential. And she's only been training with her Quirk for under two years?!'_ As Bakugo's interest in the girl grew, he turned to face Kirishima. An idea hatched in his mind. He turned to the girl, who was once again surveying the room they were in.

"Okay, _Midoriya,_ you've seen the weight room. What are you going to do?" Bakugo questioned.

She still didn't have concrete answer in mind, despite thinking about it along the entire walk here. "I… appreciate you guys showing me the weight r-room. But I think it would be better if we did this… another time?" Her eyes opened wide, hidden by her hair (thankfully). Her hand shot up to her mouth, but she caught it halfway. She took half a step backwards. '_Why did I suggest we find another time…'_

The blonde wore a hard to decipher expression. He'd noticed her wide-eyed expression. That, and she clearly forcibly stopped her arm from going to her cover her mouth. '_She didn't mean to say that last part. She almost looks to be… injured?'_ He glanced over at Kirishima, who was facing the opposite direction. '_So he only heard what she said.'_ He clicked his tongue as he turned around to grab some weights nearby. '_Whatever. I'll let Kirishima handle her if he wants to. I've no doubt I'll have to deal with her again in the future. I'll learn more then.'_

Kirishima approached, having finished setting up his machine. "Alright. I'll bring it up another time then, Midoriya. Cya around!" He shot her a thumbs up as he bent down to move a bench.

* * *

Midoriya climbed the stairs back up the first floor in silence. One of her hands traced her lips, as if trying to find out if anything was wrong with them. '_I… didn't mean to say that. Right? It just… came out. It's usually the complete opposite. I have to force myself to talk.'_ She could hear commotion on the first floor. Multiple voices, and some shuffling of feet. Izu turned onto the last flight of stairs. '_Bako… gu? I think that was his name. He… noticed my reactions. Clearly. I could tell he saw through me.'_ She sighed heavily, rubbing her face. '_I'm already slipping. He doesn't seem to care for others that much… I hope he keeps what he saw to himself.'_

As she crested the top of the stairs, she saw a number of her classmates sitting on couches around a table. Some small figurines sat on a colorfully decorated board. Izu's eyes widened a tad. '_I know that game. Settlers of Catan… I used to play that in elementary school game club.'_ She smiled fondly as the memory played in her mind.

One of the students around the couch, who seemingly wasn't playing in the game itself, noticed her head pointed towards them. The blue haired boy raised his hand, a silent greeting. Midoriya hesitated. '_Well he caught me looking at them. It… would be rude to just ignore him.'_ She decided to simply stay put and wait. If he approached, she'd hear him out. If not then she was in the clear to leave. '_He did say he wanted to talk to me later… and it is later now…'_

He answered her unasked question as he approached her, his arms moved in sharp angular motions as he walked. He looked robotic, almost. Izu bristled slightly, remembering the last time he approached her like that. At least this time he wasn't yelling…

This time Iida, thankfully, waited until he was within typical-conversation-distance to start speaking. "Midoriya-san, could I have a moment of your time?"

She cocked an eyebrow. '_-san? That's… odd. You're probably older than me. And you have a good head and a half on me…'_ She waited a beat before answering. "I… yeah."

He took a few steps off to the side, away from potentially prying ears. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. His eyes shot open as he began. "I am deeply sorry for making you uncomfortable yesterday. It was my mistake for not reading the environment better. My volume was way out of control for a conversation that should've been kept private. Additionally, I should not have touched you without your permission, especially since we don't know each other beyond family names." He bowed deeply to emphasize his words. "I wish to start over so that we can work productively alongside one another."

'_Yeah I kind of expected this. I mean… I forgive him. How can I not? I definitely… blew it out of proportion.'_ Her voice was shaky as she responded. "Please… please don't bow. I am as much to b-blame for the incident." She wrung her hands incessantly as she waited for him to straighten himself.

As Iida righted himself slowly, his eyebrows creased in confusion. Had he heard her right? "Midoriya you are not to blame for this! Please do not… you do not have to shoulder any responsibility for what hap-"

"It's fine now. Please, just drop it. We can st-start over." She glanced around the room, looking for an escape route. "I'm going to go…" And she did, not waiting for any reply from Iida.

* * *

She opted for the stairs, not wanting to wait around for the elevator with Iida still standing in the room. She entered her room and collapsed on the bed without a second thought. She felt something poke her in the ribs as she landed. Izu grimaced as she rolled to one side. Two small boxes sat there, a small slip of paper was taped to one of them. She reached for the paper, twisting it towards her.

"Midoriya,

I hope you find these useful on your journey to become a hero.

From Nezu"

'_Oh. That's right. The letter Nezu included with my acceptance message mentioned something about a gift…"_ She picked up one of the boxes, shaking it gently. She could hear metal clanking inside. As she started to debate if she _really_ deserved a gift or not, her hands automatically began opening one of the small boxes. Inside she found… she wasn't sure what it was. It appeared to be a mess of flat metal pieces, springs, and elastic straps. There were two identical ones.

Puzzled, she opened the other box and found two similar contraptions. These were shaped slightly differently, but appeared to serve the same purpose. This box had another note resting on the bottom of the box. She read it without hesitation.

"These are braces for your arms and ankles. They should help absorb some of the impact and vibrations that occur. Of course as you train to master control over One For All, these will eventually be obsolete. I had them custom made by David Shield to fit you. He owed me a favor." A winking mouse face was drawn, clearly in Nezu's handwriting. "Make good use of them, Midoriya!"

Izu failed to suppress a gasp as her eyes glided over "David Shield". Was she really in possession of a support item from THE David Shield? She looked at the braces as if they would leap up to bite her at any moment. '_How much… are these worth? Did they cost Nezu a lot?'_ She shook her head. '_Nezu mentioned a favor. But I sure hope these weren't expensive.'_

She looked them over again, admiring the quality. '_I sure would like to try them out… but I don't know if I should go out and train after telling Kirishima and Bakogu that I didn't want to train with them…'_ She weighed her options. There was still lots of time left in the day. Plus she had the weekend still before class started. If she really wanted to avoid being seen, she could do her regular quirk exercises indoors…

She fished through her still-unused backpack (her mom had gotten her a new one as a celebration for getting into UA) and grabbed her wallet. She counted the values of various bills she had. '_Maybe I'll go to a home improvement store. I can pick up darker curtains and maybe some stuff to put up a shelf or two…'_

* * *

After the, thankfully, uneventful trip to the nearest project store, Midoriya returned to her room with a bag of materials. She surveyed the room, scoping out various locations she could place shelves. After debating between a couple spots, she eventually decided on three locations to install shelving. It was a fairly simple procedure. She'd explained to the salesperson what she wanted to accomplish, and they pointed her towards the correct materials for an easy implementation. After some short trial and error, she had three nice looking shelves all setup. One above her bed, one above the desk, and the final one above the fridge/microwave.

Satisfied with her handiwork, she dragged a chair over to try and reach the top of the curtains… But her hand fell just short. She stretched and tried multiple different positions. No luck. '_Id really rather not move the entire desk just to stand on it for one minute… If I did that I'd have to remove everything on it.'_ She sighed, looking around the room for an alternate solution. Kirishima's words flashed in her mind; "Come by to talk sometime".

'_Does… does this apply? His help would make this a whole lot simpler.'_ Her ears went hot as she thought about what she wanted to do from a different angle. '_So the first time I talk to him of my own volition will be to… get his help because im too short…'_ She sat down on her bed and sighed, her back slumping forward. '_Do I value my dignity enough to just move the desk?'_

* * *

A soft knock came from Kirishima's door. Quiet enough he wasn't sure if he imagined it or not. He paused his game, placing the controller down beside him. He waited a moment, but no other knock came. '_I swear though…'_ He approached his door cautiously. Now standing in front of it, he heard some quiet shuffling from outside. He heard a door click open outside to the left. He threw his door open, just in time to catch Midoriya half inside her doorway. She froze like a deer in headlights.

He smirked at her. He had heard a knock. "Hey! Whats up, didja need something, Midoriya?" His expression shifted slightly. Her body language spoke for her. '_She's uncomfortable. Why did she knock on my door though?'_

Her hand didn't leave her doorknob. She turned to face him slightly, unsure of what to say. An awkward silence descended on the two. Midoriya rolled her wrist, clearly unhappy that her other hand wasn't there to help her relieve her stress. Kirishima took note of the long pause, and took the initiative again.

"I'm glad you remembered my open invitation, Midoriya. I'm always willing to lend an ear or a hand. What did you need? Really." His hands went to his sides, palms open and facing forward. He tried to make himself look as inoffensive and approachable as possible.

"Cu… Curtains…" She whispered. Truth be told, Kirishima hadn't heard what she said. He took a step towards her, closing his door as he moved away from it. He saw her point into her room, but couldn't see what she was referring to.

His eyes lit up. "Sure! I can help. Just let me know what you need me to do." He didn't let the opportunity get away. '_Well this is interesting. I've no idea what I just agreed to, but she asked for my help! No way I can say no after my promise earlier. Plus… it looked like it took a lot for her to even just ask me. Even then she gave up after a single knock…'_

She hesitated, then cautiously moved into her room. Kirishima followed. He stepped inside and the door slowly slid shut behind him. He tensed up slightly, his eyes struggling to adjust. '_There are no lights on…'_ His gaze darted around the room, trying to make out what he could. Her bed was unmade, black sheets covered it. The room was largely undecorated. In fact, the only "decoration" he could spot was a photo on her desk. It was too dark for him to make out the contents of the photo, however. '_Her room looks the same as mine did when I first moved in. The only addition I can spot is those shelves…'_

He looked at her. She was standing in the middle of the room, facing away from him. His mind halted as he drank in what her body language said. She was tense, and visibly shaking. The room was so quiet, he could hear her breathe. Her shoulders shuddered with every breath.

His smile faltered. Worry took over. What had he just walked into? "H-Hey Midor-"

"Can! C-C-could you hang up… t-t-these curtains?" They spoke at the same time. Her voice quaked with uncertainty and unease.

'_Curtains?'_ He saw her gesture towards some black cloth that covered the chair by her balcony door. '_Oh. She wants me to put up different curtains? Why's that? She can't do it herself?'_ He took a step towards her. She flinched at the sound, jumping to the right to let him pass. Deciding to question stuff later, he walked towards the glass door, grabbing the black cloth as he arrived.

Without a word he shoved both existing curtains to the sides. Light poured in. He saw her flinch and turn away as the light hit her. A few moments passed, neither of them said anything. He quickly finished replacing the curtains with the darker version. He stepped down from the chair, the gray curtains draped across his arm. He glanced at her again. Realization struck him. '_She couldn't reach! No wonder she needed my help doing something like this.'_ She was still facing away from him, but he could see her doing something with her hands.

He turned towards the chair he stood on, placing the gray curtains in the same place the black ones were. He heard her moving. She wordlessly brushed past him, dragging the curtains to a close. The room was plunged back into a more intense darkness than before. '_Well now it's REALLY hard to see…'_ He thought. '_She's… okay with being in the dark all the time? She didn't have a light on when I walked in…'_

Kirishima became more and more aware that they were both just standing there again. One second turned to five. Five to ten. Neither of them moved or said anything. He could hear her sleeves brushing against each other as she continued to do something with her hands. He swallowed, finally having built the courage to speak. "Was that all you needed, Midoriya?" He asked her back. Her hands stopped moving at the sound of his question.

"Ye-" She cut herself off. he was able to briefly pick up on the emotion in her voice. A tangled mix of many things. She sounded… terrible, frankly. She simply nodded her head in an exaggerated manner, still facing away from him.

He took a step towards her, now within arms reach. "Hey. What I said earlier… still applies, you know? You… don't sound okay right now. I'm sorry if that isn't what you want to hear, but I can't leave you like this in good conscious... without offering my help. Let me?" He pleaded. His expression was one of worry, care, and something else.

He heard her sniffle. Her left arm went up to her eyes, wiping across them. Her right arm raised slowly, pointing meekly towards the door. His shoulders slumped, hurt and defeat flashed across his eyes. "I… I won't stay if you want me to leave. But…" He stopped as he heard her speak. He didn't want to miss anything she said.

"P-Please. Out." She sniffled again, her exhales more pronounced. She suppressed a cough.

Kirishima sighed. He could sense when enough was enough. He wordlessly shuffled towards her door, grabbing the handle. Before opening it, he turned back towards the greenette. He forced a smile, even though she still wasn't looking at him. "Thanks for coming to me for help, Midoriya. You should… stop by again sometime? I'm always ready and willing to help a friend in need." He heard her breath catch as the word "friend" echoed through the small room. With that, he opened the door and took his leave.

* * *

Authors note:

Longest chapter so far. I'm hoping to get around 10k words per chapter as I keep going.

Please let me know what you think! Suggestions are always welcome! I read them all.

Also please point out typo's ;-;. I always miss stuff. I try to update the chapters as I read through them.

* * *

Review responses:

Raven Mordrake: Yes! I am aware. AFAIK no one has called her Momo yet. If someone did then that's a mistake on my part. I plan on her asking most everyone to call her that. Yaoyorozu is a mouthful.

lemonfactoryxx: I'm sorry ;_;! I hope you end up liking it, though! Also Shoto x Izu is definitely a possibility. Right now I'm doing a lot of setup and building characters. Once class starts everyone will interact a lot more. Which will lead to... stuff.

Guest: Well thanks! I'm flattered you think so highly of it so far!

A fan: Thanks for the compliment! And I want to keep Izu's power a little in check. If she gets too powerful, I find it hard to plan battle scenes that actually have tension. I have a plan that (I hope) will be a cool remedy for keeping her power interesting and strong, but not broke OP. In contrast, I'm trying to make everyone else in 1-A a little stronger as well. I mean, they _did_ get into UA. They should be badass!

~Till next time!


	6. Doubt x Debate

Izu's stomach growled aggressively, waking her from her fitful sleep. She struggled to open her eyes. She didn't want to think about life right now. She was too ashamed. Her stomach growled again. A small amount of pain shot through her abdomen. Her mouth was dry, and she felt heavy all over. She raised an arm to her forehead. It wasn't overly warm. '_I don't think I'm sick…'_

She sat up, slowly reaching for her phone as she rubbed her eyes. Distracted, she ended up knocking her phone off the nightstand. It fell to the floor with a soft clack. She let out a weak sigh, knowing that she'd have to get out of bed now. After some brief convincing, her body listened and she sat up. Everything hurt. She felt... really weak.

'_I… what am I doing…'_ Her palms rested on her legs. She glanced down at her hands, they glowed briefly with green electricity. She sighed again, almost surprised that her power still worked. '_I. I did it again. This time… I missed a day of practice. I broke my promise. I promised mom...'_ She grabbed her phone from the floor in order to confirm the truth she already knew. She pressed a button. The time and date appeared on the screen. A pained noise escaped her as he eyes traced over the text "Sunday: 11:23am". Brief images from yesterday flashed before her eyes. She'd been awake during Saturday. There's no way she didn't wake up. But… she did nothing.

She remembered waking up a few times. Glancing around her room and sniffling quietly. Each time she'd laid back down, feeling sorry for herself. Each time she'd convinced herself it made more sense to remain in bed. Getting up is what signaled the start of a day. If a day never started… then it couldn't harm her. Her stomach growled again. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was devoid of saliva. Tears fell freely from her eyes.

'_I missed a day of food. Again. Mom always made sure I ate, whether I liked it or not. But here… no one will come and check on me.'_ She stepped out of bed, walking over to her bathroom sink on unsteady legs. She cupped her hands and took small sips from the tap. She glanced at herself in the mirror. She couldn't look for more than a few seconds. Dark thoughts clouded her mind whenever she saw herself like this. she finished drinking, drying her hands on her boxers. She stood in the doorway of her bathroom, debating what her next course of action was.

'_I'm… hungry. But I don't think I can go out without showering.'_ Realizing she didn't have a real choice in the matter, she silently stripped out of her undergarments. She winced as she smelled herself. '_Lying in bed for 36 odd hours will do that to you, idiot.'_ She turned towards the shower, her eyes landed on the toilet however. A strange feeling washed over her. '_Oh. Yeah... I guess I ignored that too.'_ A blush crept its way onto her face. She had to pee. Badly.

* * *

Izu was awake now, regardless of how much energy she actually had. She stepped out of the cold shower, shivering as she reached for a nearby towel. Her movements were slow and inaccurate. She didn't properly dry her hair, nor did she bother to comb it. She had no patience for that right now. She threw on her usual outfit and quietly opened her door. She peered outside. Thankfully no one was in the hallway.

Izu walked towards the elevator at the other end of the hall, wringing her hands all the while. The elevator stopped on the fourth floor. The guy with the head of a raven got on the elevator. He looked at her for a moment, before simply nodding and turning to face the door. She silently thanked him for not starting a conversation.

Getting off the elevator, she sauntered out of the building, pointedly ignoring anyone on the first floor. Food was the only thing on her mind.

* * *

Izu returned to the dorms carrying four plastic bags, filled with various components and ready-to-eat meals. '_I'm going to need to keep food in my dorm… I can't miss days of training. Or… eating.'_ She put two bags down in front of the main entrance, digging through her jacket pocket for her student ID. She scanned it on the door handle, and after a brief pause the door clicked open. She picked up her bags again and started to walk forward, when she had to jump backwards; someone else had pushed the door open.

Jiro stood in the doorway, her hand on the inner handle. "Hi, Midoriya."

Midoriya paused, unsure how to respond.'_Earlobe girl… Crap I don't know her name.'_

Thankfully, Jiro seemed to pick up on the meaning of her delay. She smiled. "Jiro." She poked her chest with her thumb. "I would shake your hand, but you seem occupied." She glanced down at the plastic bags.

"Y-Yeah. I… Sorry, my hands are full." Izu shrugged her shoulders slightly.

"Smart of you to go shopping so soon. I still have to pick up some food to have in house." The greenettes stomach growled in response. Jiro stifled a laugh with her hand. Izu lowered her head in response. Muttering about missing breakfast. "I'll let you get to it then. See you tomorrow in class." Jiro waved as she walked outside. Midoriya caught the door with her foot, pausing to watch the girl leave briefly.

Izu elected to stay inside for the rest of the day. Eating and completing her basic training in her room, away from any potential distractions. Eventually the day came to an end. She laid in bed, staring at the ceiling. Wondering what tomorrow's start of class would bring.

* * *

Class started at 8:00am. Izu walked into the classroom at 7:30am, hoping to arrive early and pick a good seat. She paused just outside of 1-A's door. It was massive; clearly made to fit heteromorphic types of all kinds. She slid the door to one side and walked in. Her eyes landed on the blonde haired boy. He was the first to arrive, it seemed. He briefly glanced at her as she walked towards a seat. He chose to sit in the front leftmost seat, while Izu chose the back leftmost seat.

'_I definitely don't want to sit in the front. Being here means I can… well. Be an observer?'_

There was a fair amount of time before class was scheduled to start. Izu settled into her seat, gazing out the window to her left, her head resting on her desk. She was too engrossed in her thoughts to notice Bakugo's approaching footsteps. He said something to her. Still oblivious.

He slammed his palm on her desk in frustration, just behind her head. _That_ certainly got her attention. She whipped her head up, hair falling to either side of her face. She stared up at him, wide eyed.

"Did you hear me. Yes or no." He seemed very unamused.

Still recovering from the surprise, Izu took a moment to right her thoughts. She eventually answered, "Uh. N-No? What did you say?"

"You better not half-ass your power today." She gave him a confused look. He continued. "The student handbook says all students complete a Quirk Apprehension test on the first day of class. To test our limits. _Limits._" He emphasized the last word, repeating it while glaring at her. "Show me what you can actually do, Green. That way I know if I have to care about you at all. That Half and half guy made it real simple." He walked away without any further comments, muttering something about recommendation students.

'_Half-ass my power? Does… does that mean I go 100%? I can't imagine Aizawa would approve of me injuring myself. Plus… I'd rather not? Injure myself…'_ She lost herself in her thoughts again as students slowly trickled into the room.

Izu was once again pulled from her thoughts, this time she caught what the voice next to her had said. "Y-You don't have to ask… me to sit there." She turned to look out the window again, trying to avoid conversations as much as she could. Jiro simply smiled in response, taking the seat to Midoriya's right.

Izu was vaguely aware that the pink girl… Ashido? Had sat in front of her and was occasionally glancing back her direction. Eventually, all students arrived, and Aizawa walked into the classroom at 8:00am on the dot. The room was bustling with noise, multiple conversations were happening. Some students were standing beside other desks. Aizawa fixed all of this at once with a simple word.

"Sit." His tone and volume sent shivers down the spines of those he was addressing. Anyone who was standing quickly took their seat without a word. His eyes scanned over all the students, lingering for a tad longer on a select few. After his brief pause, Aizawa began an introduction.

"Welcome to UA's Hero Course. As you should already know, being in the hero course means you have extra activities alongside the regular highschool curriculum. There will be days exclusively dedicated to hero lessons, but this does not mean you can slack on your academics. Many of the hero exams will have both practical and written portions. In order to pass overall, you must pass BOTH parts. Of course tests will be administered for other classes as you take them. And Midterms are fairly standard; a multi-day long test that covers all classes. Any questions?"

A few looked intimidated by all this talk of tests. Izu was slightly bored, having already read all this information in the student handbook. Aizawa waited a beat for any hands to raise, but none did. He continued, "No questions? Good. Everyone go to the locker rooms and change into your gym uniforms. They will be in your assigned locker, which opens with your student ID. Meet down at the field directly outside to our left in 5 minutes. Go."

Izu's mind raced as she followed the other girls towards the locker room. '_Changing? I hope theres… a stall or something I can change in.'_ She wasn't sure how comfortable she was changing in front of her peers. '_I barely even know them yet…'_ Arriving in the locker room confirmed her fear. No stalls. The showers must be in a separate room from the lockers. '_People would notice if I left the room just to change…'_

Izu found her locker, which _of course_ happened to be in the middle of the entire room. She grimaced at the location. She opened the locker with a wave of her ID. Inside was a small unlabeled box. Inside was the new design for UA's gym uniforms. It was… essentially a blue tracksuit with white strips across the chest and arms. '_At least the material is nice…'_ Izu thought as she rubbed the clothing between her fingers.

She glanced around her, immediately wishing she hadn't. Many of the girls were busy changing into their uniforms. '_Everyones so pretty...'_ She blushed furiously, covering her face with the uniform in her hands. '_Ahhh! I need to change, I can't be late for our first lesson! Suck it up, dummy! No one here cares about how hot you aren't!'_ Izu stripped out of her shirt and sweats, trying to do so quickly without seeming… odd for being too fast.

She finished and shoved everything into her locker for later, keeping her ID in a pocket, before hurrying out the door.

* * *

Everyone was lined up on the sidelines of what looked like a baseball field. This suspicion was only increased when Aizawa pulled out a baseball. He wasted no time, beginning his explanation. "Today you all will complete various fitness tests to learn your limits. Of course, what makes this different from the ones you did in middle school is that you can use the full extent of your Quirks. Use them however you see fit to increase your scores. Be creative."

Izu had to suppress a grin. '_Okay. This sounds… good. I should be able to do really well in these kinds of tests.'_ Aizawa added a small extra detail to his explanation

"Oh also. Whoever places last overall will be deemed to have no potential, and will be expelled on the spot. So I encourage you all to push yourselves." A tense silence descended on the class. Everyone was glancing at one another, thinking similar thoughts. Expelled? Who would place last? Can I do well enough to come out on top? Among other things.

Izu wasn't exactly surprised by this revelation. While she certainly didn't approve of this kind of hazing, she could grimly understand why UA implemented tactics like this. They had to be cutthroat. She wasn't worried. If Friday was anything to go by, she was already well above most of the class in terms of combat potential. There were maybe two or three people she had to be cautious of in combat trials…

Aizawa interrupted everyone's chatter. "We will begin with the standard ball throw. Come up one at a time, starting from this side of the line." He pointed at one end of the line they had formed. This ordering meant Izu was sixth. Bakugo stepped up to the plate first. Aizawa tossed him the ball. With no delay, Bakugo reared his arm back and let the ball fly. He propelled it with a large explosion, screaming as he did so.

"DIE!"

Many jaws dropped as the students on the sidelines watched the ball soar high into the air. It took numerous seconds for the ball to travel its full arc. Landing far out of sight in the trees. Aizawa held up a phone, a number appeared on the screen.

"706.3 Meters?" Multiple people shouted in surprise at once. That was a hard number to compete with. It was especially intimidating considering he was the first to go. Bakugo took his place back in the line smirking as he did so. Aizawa produced another ball from somewhere, tossing it to the next student. The four next students were rather uneventful, all landing far under 100 Meters. The only slight surprise was the Frenchman, who blasted the ball forward with his laser, landing at just under 90 Meters.

Finally Izu stepped up to the plate, looking a little confused. She still wasn't sure how much power she should use. '_Should I go for my regular limit of 40ish percent for singular attacks? I did reach 50% recently, but I doubt I could tap into that power again without… getting emotional. Plus I'd rather not injure myself… It's been a while since I've actually hurt myself with One For All, and I remember it wasn't fun when I was doing it almost daily.'_

She slowly walked over to the plate, stopping halfway to quietly ask Aizawa a question. "Um. Aizawa-sensei? I… have a question."

He gave her a stern look, peeved that she was delaying the tests. "Make it quick." His arms crossed.

"I know you said we should complete this test to the best of our ability, so that we can learn our limits… But if I truly use all my power I always end up injuring myself… badly. Should I still just… do that so we can record data on my true limit? I mean I'm wi-" He interrupted her by bringing his hand up, signaling 'stop'.

"It would not be logical to injure yourself at the moment. Push yourself to use the most of your power you can _without_ injuring yourself." She nodded in response, though a worried look still rested on her face. She glanced over at the line of students.

'_They're too close… If I use upwards of 35% the wind can get oppressive. Especially if you aren't expecting it…'_

"Er. I think… they should… move farther back? I don't mean to sound… overconfident. But if they aren't expecting it, the force of my movements can surprise people." She started wringing her hands. Not liking this situation one bit.

Aizawa paused to think. '_Mmm. That didn't cross my mind. I'd assumed that her escape from Iida was the extent of her powers. It was far faster than any of her movement during the training session. But she's capable of producing winds that she worries would surprise people? What exactly does she mean by "surprise people"? She mentioned injuring herself with higher extents of her power…'_

Aizawa glanced over at the line of students. His eyes tracing the distance between them and Midoriya. Finally he spoke, "Fine. I will move them back. But if it was not needed, there will be consequences. We are on a tight schedule."

She nodded at him, walking over to the spot where everyone else had stood. '_Well fantastic. There's my motivation to try. Now if I don't live up to what I said, I get in trouble.'_

Aizawa walked over to the rest of the class, ushering them farther away. "1-A! Move back to the far wall. Midoriya requires bystanders to be farther away in order to safely utilize her power."

The class begrudgingly moved back to the wall Aizawa pointed at. Everyone was now quite far away. Izu was barely close enough to pick up on the chatter of the class. She stood in a neutral position, trying to relax as best she could. She looked at Aizawa, who nodded at her. She closed her eyes and breathed out, focusing on her power.

Small wisps of green electricity surrounded her small form as she remained motionless. Many of the class turned to watch as they noticed the green surrounding her. Numerous students had pegged her as one of the strongest in the class, thanks to her performance during the practice on Friday. Even though she lost the match, all were aware she had swiftly defeated each enemy by herself.

The electricity surrounding her flared aggressively, extending outwards. It arced off the ground, occasionally raising dust. It reached as far as fifteen feet away at times. Aizawa was taking detailed notes in his mind, interested in figuring her out. Everyone watched with bated breath.

The electricity flared again, coating itself around her arm. She began the motion to throw, a determined look on her face. '_One For All: Full-Cowling, 43%!'_ She screamed in her mind. Aizawa's adrenaline spiked, his instincts screamed at him. _Danger._ Time seemed to slow down, Aizawa's eyes narrowed. He'd experienced this before… In a battle many years ago.

The sensation was extremely brief, fading as quickly as it appeared. Even then, it left an impact. Aizawa had no time to think on it. A monstrous explosion of wind went out in all directions from Midoriya. The shockwave traveled fast, thankfully dissapaiting in intensity before it reached the students. To them it just felt like an intense rush of air.

Aizawa braced himself, knee bending as he shifted his body to prevent being blown over. He was standing far closer than anyone else. He understood now. Anyone unprepared or not paying attention would have been shoved backwards multiple feet. '_This certainly could have led to injuree's. Not bad, Midoriya. I'm glad you're aware of the effect your power has on the world around you.' _He recalled her Quirk's name, "Energy Augmentation". '_That's too broad. I need to ask Nezu about her. Her incredible physical capabilities, and what she's told me so far… Just who is this girl? Where is the weakness?''_

The ball soared high, in no time at all it was too far away to see with the naked eye. The intense wind persisted for a second before dissipating. The air sat calm again, no one was speaking. Many of the class were gobsmacked at the display of power.

Aizawa held up his phone, a four digit number appeared on screen, but many were too far away to properly read it. Izu seemed satisfied with the number, whatever it was.

"Damn." Was all Kirishima had to say as Midoriya started walking back to the group.

"I'm glad she told us to move away. That was pretty intense even from this far away. Crazy…" Ashido commented. A few nodded and voiced noises of agreement.

Bakugo had a crazed look on his face, and a smile to match it. '_So she can go even higher. Can she keep growing? What is her limit? Her enhancement Quirk is, without a doubt, one of the strongest I've seen. There are only a few heroes I know of that could probably beat her in raw strength. All Might being one of them. I… I need to come up with a way to compete with her. As much as it stings to admit, I'm no match for her right now. I can see myself beating the Half and Half guy, but her speed has me worried. Fine, Midoriya, you got me. I'm interested now.'_

Izu sighed as she finally sat down against the wall. Sure people were talking and looking at her… but she cared more about her own performance. She was simply proud of herself at the moment. Glad she performed when it mattered. Her arm ached though… That certainly was a lot of power to use, and so suddenly without a proper warm up. She'd probably have to tone it down for the remaining physical tests.

Izu encountered another… interesting problem with the extent of her power during the grip strength test. This test was rather quick to complete, as the measuring devices were passed out to each student. All around her she could hear students talking about their numbers. Two students seemed to out class all others so far. The Sato guy from Friday got just below 400 Kilograms of force. Shoji, the multiarmed guy also from the same exercise who'd impressed her, had scored 540 Kilograms. Sero made this known to the entire class, as he shouted in excitement. It was the highest score in the class so far.

Aizawa walked around to each student, writing down the number displayed on their device, then collecting it and placing them into a bag. He approached Midoriya, noticing she still hadn't registered a number on her device. He raised his eyebrows at her as he approached.

She gave him an embarrassed, apologetic smile. '_Once again I'm causing delays because of questions of how far I should go. I squeezed the device but it stopped before I could get very high with my power. I'm not exactly sure how these devices work, but I wasn't sure if I should keep pushing it…'_

"Um… Sensei, I didn't want to potentially break the device…"

He chuffed at her. '_It's been more than three years since someone in class, hero or not, maxed out one of these grip measurers. I'll just… tell her to go all out.'_ He glanced at her hands, they shook slightly as she held onto the measuring device. "It is fine if the device breaks. Please just complete the test so I can move onto the next student."

Izu gulped, slightly worried by that answer. She'd kept Aizawa waiting long enough. A large portion of the class had finished the test, scoring average numbers. They were looking at her and Aizawa, waiting to move onto the next test.

The greenette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. '_Just do it, Izu! Ignore everyone else. Just do what you came here to do!'_ Green electricity surrounded her hand as she squeezed. Almost instantly the device maxed out at 2000 Kg of force, letting out a beep. But… Aizawa had told her to keep going. She could feel the metal handle protest under the force of her grip. It was slowly giving way, bending under the pressure. After a brief moment of squeezing harder…

_CRUNCH!_ The device shattered in her hand, falling to the ground in a heap of pieces.

Aizawa's hand flew to his forehead. And he did something many never thought they would see. He laughed. A true, unfiltered laugh from teacher many had placed as "stern and emotionless". He composed himself after a few seconds. He scribbled something in his notepad, then bent down to collect the pieces of the destroyed measuring device, putting it in the bag on his side.

"Well done." Was all he said to her as he turned towards the next student.

Izu heard a whisper off to one side, but didn't turn to look. Her cheeks were ablaze with red tint. She looked down at her feet, trying to make sure her hair covered her face as best it could.

"Over 2000 Kilograms? That's insane…" Someone quietly commented.

* * *

The rest of the tests passed in a blur. Izu was able to score the top spot on most tests, except for a few where other students obviously had an edge over her raw physical prowess. For example, the last girl to throw the ball scored infinity. Infinity!

Finally Aizawa ushered everyone inside. The students changed and returned to the class room, where the results would be shown. Izu was worried… but not for herself. She didn't want to see someone be expelled. She couldn't help but imagine her own reaction to learning such a thing. It would be… crushing, to put it lightly.

Everyone took their seats and waited patiently. Aizawa fiddled with the small device in his hands before a list was projected onto the blackboard at the front of the room. Everyone scanned the list for their own name. Many glanced at the top and bottom spots afterwards.

1 - Izu Midoriya

2 - Katsuki Bakugo

3 - Shoto Todoroki

4 - Momo Yaoyorozu

5 - Tenya Iida

6 - Fumikage Tokoyami

7 - Tsuyu Asui

8 - Mezo Shoji

9 - Hanta Sero

10 - Eijiro Kirishima

11 - Mashirao Ojiro

12 - Rikido Sato

13 - Ochako Uraraka

14 - Mina Ashido

15 - Yuga Aoyama

16 - Koji Koda

17 - Denki Kaminari

18 - Minoru Mineta

19 - Kyoka Jiro

20 - Toru Hagakure

A mixture of sighs, gasps, and cries of outrage echoed throughout the classroom. Aizawa quickly interjected, hoping to quell the emotions in the room.

He raised his voice slightly, ensuring he would be heard. "Attention, everyone. Know that… no one is being expelled. It was a rational falsehood in order to push you beyond your normal limits."

Iida's loud voice was the first to spread throughout the room. "WHAT! Sensei, are you saying you lied to us?!"

The floating set of clothes was the next to speak… or shriek. "AAAHHHH. I'm so glad! I can't believe I was almost expelled on the first day!" Despite not being able to see her movements, slams echoed out from her direction, no doubt from pounding on her desk.

Yaoyorozu spoke in a quiet voice, only those around her able to pick up on it. "I thought it was obvious that he was lying… no way would they expel someone on the first day without learning what they are truly capable of."

Aizawa looked over at Iida, responding with a bored tone. "It was the most logical way to ensure you all tried your best. A sense of urgency is a real motivator, as I'm sure you'll come to learn."

Iida grumbled from his chair, still seemingly peeved at the teachers lie.

'_I was completely convinced…'_ Izu thought, feeling embarrassed she fell for the teachers ploy so easily. Not that it mattered, considering her placement. Murmurs continued to be heard throughout the classroom as people commented on their placement, and how other students did. Many took note of the top 5. Noticing how closely it matched Aizawa's team placements on Friday. Iida was the only outlier, but even then no one could deny he performed well during the battle training.

* * *

The rest of the day passed rather uneventfully. Class 1-A was introduced to the teachers for other subjects at UA. Math, History, English, Hero law, and chemistry. Supposedly after the halfway point some classes would swap. They were given some basic introductory homework assignments, then released at 4:00pm.

'_Quite a late release. A long school day indeed. I guess we really do just have Hero activities plastered on top of a regular high school schedule. It makes sense though that our days have to be longer. Friday is reserved exclusively for hero classes, afterall._

A majority of the class walked back as a lump. Chatting about the days activities, and guessing what tomorrows hero lesson would be like. Izu followed behind the group, walking just within earshot. She heard a grunt-like noise from behind her, turning to see the blonde boy heading right for her. He wore an… odd look on his face. Kirishima followed behind him, looking a tad… worried?

'_Bakugo was his name. He placed just below me on the Quirk Apprehension tests. I don't know by how much, though. Aizawa didn't give us points, just a ranking. It could've been really close. Truth be told I didn't pay that much attention to anyone else's performances. Sure I watched people use their Quirks whenever I could… but unfortunately missed the placements of many during their tests. All I have to go off of is peoples rankings. Plus I'm still learning people's names...'_

"Green. Come spar with us." Bakugo stated as he neared. It wasn't a question. It was… an invitation?

'_Okay. Again not what I was expecting. He certainly seems smart and strong… but sparring? I haven't sparred with anyone in… well months actually. It's been a while since I've seen Gran Torino. Plus I haven't talked to All Might in weeks… I know he's a teacher at UA now, but havent seen him around.'_ She paused, still deciding on how to respond. Kirishima spoke up after noticing her pause.

"We're trying to prepare on our own for the coming hero training events. Bakugo talked to an upperclassman and they said that battle training classes always occur on Fridays. The weekdays are typically reserved for individual training or practice rescue operations." He paused to gauge her reaction. She gave little to none, but turned towards him. The redhead continued, "We want to get regular battle training in. Afterall, the sports festival is only a month away."

She lost herself in thought again, trying to be quick to not keep them waiting. '_It would be nice to do battle training… but I'm confident in my current abilities.'_ She recoiled backwards at the thought, mentally slapping herself. '_My classmates are all trying to do extra training to better themselves… to become better heroes. I can't let myself fall behind. I need to jump at every opportunity I get if I want to live up to All Mights expectations. I can… I can work to overcome this fear of working with others. Right? This will be a good first opportunity to do so… sparring.'_

The green girl nodded. She had to force her mouth to form words. "O-Okay. We can spar. I… I'm... I've only ever sparred with my mentor before… so it may take me some time to adjust… P-Please bear with me." '_Is this me following through on what I said to them earlier? Last time we were at the gym? I… I actually am going to the gym with them again…'_

Bakugo simply returned her nod, continuing towards the dorms with his hands in his pockets. Kirishima smiled at her, glad she came around. "Alright, Midoriya! We're gonna crush these battle trainings, just you wait!" He pumped his fist in the air, accentuating the end of his sentence. She fidgeted with her hands, unsure how to respond to his enthusiasm.

'_Well. Here goes nothing.'_ She closed her eyes. '_Out of my comfort zone. Come on Izu, you can do this. Even if you can't… you have to learn to. You have to.'_ Opening her eyes, she stared forward at the backs of her two classmates as they walked ahead of her. Determination coursed through her. Her drive to be a hero wrestled with her inner insecurities, a never ending battle. She was silently glad to see which was stronger, at least for right now in the moment. No doubt that she would have to address this other side of her. That would come in time, she grimly reminded herself. Something like this… couldn't be fixed immediately. She slowly followed after the two males.

Although Bakugo would never say it out loud, he was glad Midoriya accepted the invitation. He needed to get better, and quickly. UA had attracted a much stronger crowd than he expected. Middle school was nothing. Those in his class now were the creme of the crop, the top hero candidate students from all around the country. He couldn't… WOULDN'T slack off. He had to maintain his track record of being at the top. If that meant working alongside a potential rival, he would do it.

Bakugo pondered the upcoming situation. '_I have to learn to fight against my natural counter. My Quirk is extremely versatile, and can be utilized in countless different situations, especially as my control grows and my arsenal of super moves increases. However… an Enhancement Quirk of Midoriya's level is capable of overwhelming me. The ice guys Quirk may be just as strong, but my mobility and the heat of my explosions give me options against it. Kirishima has undoubtedly realized the same thing. He too needs to learn to fight against someone like Midoriya. If we were to encounter a villain with similar abilities to her, we'd be no better than helpless.'_

Bakugo thought back to his encounter with the sludge villain. How the heroes on scene had to simply wait for someone with a more suitable Quirk to show up. Thankfully All Might showed up in the nick of time. But... even pro's were helpless in the face of a Quirk that naturally counters theirs. They weren't strong. He had to be better than them, so something like what happened to him would never happen to someone he showed up to rescue.

He clenched his fist as he walked. '_Midoriya… don't let me down. You also have issues, I can tell. Yours are diametrically opposed to mine. While you seem to have an all encompassing Quirk that covers many potential weaknesses… your mind is your problem. She is certainly smart. But... heroes can't panic. Heroes can't hesitate. I've seen you steel yourself and act when it matters. But Kirishima told me how you broke down. I will try to help you… if you help me.'_

* * *

She had to force herself to calm down. Repeatedly. Across from her stood Kirishima and Bakugo, who were discussing what ruleset they should use for the coming sparring session. Izu was listening to them throw points back and forth, but couldn't bring herself to add anything to the conversation. She'd simply go along with whatever they decided… '_I hope I don't regret… that.'_ She thought grimly.

She missed the ending of their conversation. Bakugo turned towards her, while Kirisima went off to the side for now. The mats they were standing on was ten feet long and wide. That didn't give them much room to move around while sparring. Then again this wasn't an official sparring location.

Izu briefly debated the merits of sparring inside vs outside. '_We could spar outside… but getting thrown to the ground wouldn't be so fun without the mats covering the ground… And It's a little too late in the day to reserve a training room somewhere else on campus. Guess we'll have to make due with the limited space for now.'_

Bakugo approached her while asking, "How would you describe your fighting style?"

She paused, lacing her fingers together as she thought. '_That's… a hard question to answer. I don't have any formal martial arts training…'_ She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet as she answered. "I-I'm not sure. I haven't had any martial arts training… if that's what you mean. I kind of j-just… brawl?"

"Hmm…" Bakugo rubbed his chin. "That's no good. You should have some gameplan or general strategy for different types of opponents. You should also pick and study a martial art. General purpose is probably the best bet for you. The techniques will be useful against opponents who can muster strength similar to yours."

He paused for a moment, organizing his thoughts before he jumped into explaining the brief rules for this sparring session. "We're going to forego Quirk usage for now and focus on one-on-one fights. We'd need a larger space to use our Quirks safely anyway."

Kirishima spoke now, having finished what he'd been doing for the last minute or so. "Okay, these machines are all setup, we just have to add weights." He gestured towards to benches with bars above them. "We should all do a basic warm up before we begin." Bakugo walked over without a word, lying down on one of the benches as Kirishima spotted him.

Izu stayed put, unsure when or if she should step in for a turn. She kept glancing over at the two boys. '_Bakugo has such nice arms…'_ She immediately purged the thought from her mind. Shaking her head and turning to face away. After some amount of time she heard the familiar clanking of metal.

Kirishima called her over. "Bakugo's gonna do some stretches. Why don't I spot you for the time being, Midoriya?"

'_Oh boy here we go… I guess I'm not supposed to use my Quirk for this. How… how long has it been since I've actually lifted weights? I have no idea how much I can handle anymore.'_ She hesitantly approached Kirishima, wringing her hands all the while. She laid down on the bench, her hair falling to either side of her head. She hated that her face was visible…

The bar still had the same weight on it from when Bakugo was lifting. She tested the bar, Kirishima standing over her with a watchful eye. Her sleeves fell down her arms as she got into position. She… couldn't lift it. It budged slightly, but she wasn't ready for something this heavy yet. Not without One For All at least. She gave Kirishima a defeated look. He took her meaning and swapped a plate on each side for a lighter variant.

She tried again. This time she was able to lift the bar from its default position. She held it above herself, her grip rock solid. Her muscle memory kicked in; she'd done this many times before. Slowly she lowered the bar, stopping as she felt the bar press against her chest, just below her collar bone. She heaved, pushing it up slowly, eventually returning the bar to its original resting position. Kirishima let out a whistle of approval. Bakugo glanced over, raising his eyebrows slightly.

She paused to catch her breath, her hands still in position. She began again, completing the motion a few more times before returning the bar once more and sitting up. Kirishima gave her a thumbs up and asked, "Nicely done. I knew you'd done this before. You okay to spot me this time?"

She nodded at him. Kirishima added a few more weights to the bar, then they swapped positions. The trio completed a basic warm up regiment for the next 15 minutes in relative silence. '_This… actually isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Then again, we haven't even started what we came here to do. This is just… the beginning. Literally.'_

After some time, Bakugo called off the warm up. It was time to start sparring, for real. Izu saw Bakugo looking at her. He scanned her up and down, frowning as he did. "Green, your outfit sucks for this. You should take off the sweatshirt at least. Next time don't wear sweatpants, either."

She paused. What he said had a lot to unpack. '_First off… next time? I… He's so sure there will be a next time… And I know my outfit sucks. I was going to, begrudgingly, take off my sweatshirt anyways. It's too hot for it down here.'_ Izu fidgeted nervously. She needed to deflect so she could think. "O-Okay. Note...ed. You and… Kirishima should go first?" She cocked her head to the side as she finished, hoping they would agree. Bakugo simply shrugged. The two males walked to the center of the mat, standing arms reach from each other.

Izu took a seat against a wall as she watched her classmates begin their sparring session.

**Three minutes later…**

Bakugo had Kirishima pinned. The redhead struggled for a moment, trying to break free of Bakugo's hold. Izu had to force herself to stop staring at them. Again. '_They're so… intense. Plus it seems Bakugo likes to… grapple a lot. I… uh. Well I can't exactly ask him to not do that… right?'_ She wrung her hands, her nervousness only increasing as her classmates stood up and shook hands. Bakugo turned towards her, beckoning her over with a nod.

Panic shot through her. '_I… I still don't feel ready for this. I should leav-'_

"Green. Come on. Don't keep me waiting." The blonde tapped his foot to emphasize his impatience. Bakugo caught her gaze, holding eye contact briefly before she looked away. He knew what was about to happen. He walked up to her. She seemed so small, sitting against the wall with her legs curled to her chest. He extended a hand down to her. "No going back on what you said."

She looked up at him. His gaze… wasn't the same as earlier. He seemed… expectant and… almost patient? Something clicked in her. '_I feel… I feel like I can trust him.'_ She slowly extended her hand. He closed the distance, hauling her up without warning. Her breath caught as their hands met. '_Ahhh! Even the slightest contact makes me freeze up... How was I expecting to spar with him?!'_

As she panicked, her hands reached into her pocket. She silently began tying her hair back. Slowly but surely, her body was picking up on what was coming. Combat. Izu was oblivious to the subtle changes she exuded as she prepared for the match. Her worry slowly left her, and her demeanor changed. Less fidgety. Less glancing around the room. She could focus. She was… _in the zone_.

Bakugo watched her in silence. He didn't miss the changes. '_She… almost seems like a different person. Almost unrecognizable from her just a minute ago.' _He returned to his spot on the mat, pointing to a space across from him. Without realizing it she moved over to the spot, turning to face him. Kirishima smiled from the sidelines. He'd been slightly worried Midoriya would leave before they actually got to do anything.

Bakugo nodded at her. She returned the gesture. He leaned back slightly, bending his knees and bending his arms. A basic fighting stance. Izu recognized it, but didn't know where from. She slowly morphed into a… well. It was something. Not exactly a stance. Kirishima chopped his hand through the air, signaling the start of the match.

Bakugo lunged at her and…

* * *

Izu grunted as she was thrown to the ground… again. Bakugo clicked his tongue at her. "You're leaning too hard on your left leg. It's locked in place when I'm pressuring your right side, so you can't pivot off of it without taking a step back with your right foot."

All worry, panic, and anything else had left her mind. She had a goal. She was focused and completely in the zone of combat. Contact with others… was just par for the course. She scowled as she picked herself up again. Her confidence was bruised after being downed so many times by Bakugo. She'd faired a little better against Kirishma. The redhead was a little stronger than Bakugo she reckoned, but the explosion user had far superior technique and reflexes.

"Why don't we take a breather." Bakugo didn't wait for an answer. He collapsed in a sweaty heap next to his bag, fishing out a bottle of water. Izu laid down on the mat; her eyes shut as her mind wandered. Bakugo didn't bother trying to hide his stare. He puzzled over the green girl sprawled out on the mat in front of him. '_She really is like a different person when it comes to training… or seemingly anything hero related. It's like she instantly focuses, ignoring any fears or insecurities she usually has holding her back. This is the second time I've seen her do that. Why… why is she normally...' _Bakugo searched for the right way to describe the girl. '_A nervous wreck…'_

Kirishima caught his attention with a wave. He pointed at Midoriya, then at Bakugo himself. The redhead raised his eyebrows to silently ask the other boy a question. Bakugo shrugged. "You know what?" Bakugo began, "Why don't we stop here. We can continue another day. Plus I have to meet with someone today still."

Kirishima nodded in response and made a noise of confirmation. Midoriya raised a hand up slightly, not opening her eyes. She hoped Bakugo saw her sad attempt at a goodbye. She heard Bakugo's footsteps slowly get further and further away until they were gone. She heard Kirishima shuffling around. Eventually he spoke, breaking her out of her trance.

"I'm really glad you came today, Midoriya. We should definitely do this again. Bakugo would never say it out loud, but I can tell he's glad you came. We all can learn a lot from each other in terms of combat. Next time we spar, we should schedule a training room and fight with our Quirks!" His enthusiasm was contagious. A small smile crept onto her face; clearly visible due to her hair still being tied back.

The room was silent for another few minutes. Izu was still lying on the ground, simply relishing the downtime and silence. She heard Kirishima fiddling with the exercise machines again. No doubt dismantling what he had set up earlier. She finally opened her eyes when she heard him walk over after finishing putting away the weights and bar. He stood over her, looking down at her exhausted form.

Their eyes met and she sat up immediately, her knees pressed against her chest as her arms wrapped around her legs. '_Aaaand she's back.'_ Kirishima thought, chuckling slightly. "You should eat lunch with us sometime. I didn't see you in the cafeteria today." Izu made a grunt like noise in response.

'_Wow very feminine of you, dummy.'_ She glanced up at him, their eyes meeting again. She glanced away, hoping he didn't notice. '_I forgot my hair was down… can't just look at whoever I want undetected.'_ Her hands quickly found the hair tie, taking it off and shoving it in a pocket.

"Well I finished cleaning up everything, so we're all good to go. I'll see you tomorrow then, yeah? Don't forget to stop by if you ever wanna hang out!" He turned to leave. Izu remained stoic until he was out of sound range. She let out the sigh she'd been holding in. Her cheeks were flushed. Her whole body tingled as she replayed Kirishima's last sentence. '_He… wants to hangout.'_ She buried her face in her hands, unable to get rid of her dumb smile.

'_This was… fun. Just being able to lose myself in the training. I… I still don't know if I'm ready to interact with them… outside of… sparring?'_ She mentally shrugged at herself. She was too tired to think. She realized she didn't even know what time it was. They were released from class at 4:00pm. So... they had to walk here, set up the machines, warm up, spar… the list went on and on in her mind. Eventually she stopped listing small steps and went over to her jacket to check her phone. It was 7:08pm.

'_Huh. Guess we sparred for longer than I expected. Class starts early, so I should go to my room to eat and start winding down for bed. I can do some basic Quirk exercises in my room. Nothing too intense.'_ Izu gathered her things and made her way up the stairs Bakugo and Kirishima had climbed earlier. Her mind drifted as she walked, but she was vaguely aware of something. Even though her body ached with a familiar soreness, she felt… content. '_It's… nice.'_

* * *

Authors note:

Hi.

I ended up deleting and rewriting several thousand words in this chapter. I didn't like how it flowed from scene to scene. So I hope this is better.

Please let me know your thoughts and/or suggestions!

As always I'll update the chapter occasionally as I catch typo's.

~Till next time!

* * *

Review responses:

tiguylerobot: Dunno. We'll have to see how stuff pans out o_o

MIKE202303: Well thanks. Any other thoughts besides that? :D

lemonfactoryxx: I'll try to stick with it! I'm certainly enjoying writing it, and I'm nowhere near close to what I want to cover. I'm going quite slow with these chapters so far. This might end up being quite long.

Shadowhell1992: Noted. I'll have to see how things pan out in terms of relationships. I'm kinda winging it until we reach some more major events. And also yeah backstory will be covered. Just takes some time.


	7. Crushing Force

"I'm home!" Inko called out as she shut the door behind her. She sat down to take off her rain boots, taking a moment to do so. Finished, she was a bit confused. '_No reply?'_ She called out again "I'm home!" slightly louder this time. '_All the lights are on… Did Hisashi step out?'_ She fished her phone out of her coat pocket, hanging it on a hook after taking it off.

She pushed a button on her phone. A confused expression covered her face as she saw "No notifications". She glanced down the hall. All the doors were open except Izu's. She quickly scoped the house, becoming more frantic as she found Hisashi's phone in their shared room. His keys were here too.

"Hisashi!?" She screamed out. '_He… he must be inside!'_ Inko thought frantically, trying to make sense of the scene before her. '_His keys are here, as is his phone. But the door was locked when I got here. Did he leave through a window?'_ She checked every window in the house, worry growing with each one she checked. '_All the window locks are engaged. They can't be locked from the outside. Where… where did he go?'_

Inko didn't know what to do. Hisashi was… gone?

Tears started to flow down her face as she called the police.

* * *

"No. No one was in the house at the time. You see our daughter is staying with my parents for the weekend." Inko sniffled. She had to intensely focus on explaining herself properly, despite her hysterical emotions. "An-And his phone and keys are still here. The door and all the windows were locked when I arrived."

"You believe he was abducted?" The officer finished for her, catching onto her point.

"Yes! I can't fathom anything else. How else could he have left the house? He is Quirkless, so it couldn't have been anything tricky." Inko couldn't help herself. She rolled her sleeves up and started wringing her hands together, trying to vent her emotions in some other way.

"Ah. Please come with us to the station to file a proper report, Ma'am. With your permission, I'd like to leave some investigators here to scan the environment more thoroughly. They may potentially be able to pick up on any foul play."

The woman simply nodded, wiping her eyes as she followed the officer out the door.

'_Hisashi… please be safe. Come back. I-I'm not ready to be alone… neither is Izu. She's still only nine... Please lord be safe!'_

* * *

Inko sat at the dinner table. Her leg bounced up and down constantly, wracked with nervous energy. Izu was supposed to come home today, scheduled to arrive in a few hours. '_How… how am I supposed to break the news to her? What do I say? How will she react? Will she… how will she take this?'_ She grabbed for her phone, quickly scrolling through her contacts. She tapped the name "Dr. Yamanaka", hoping he would pick up.

The seconds ticked by, phone ringing in her ear as she waited. It went to voicemail. '_Ah. I should have figured. He is a busy man with other clients, surely.'_ Her head slumped down. Izu would be able to talk to Yamanaka on Tuesday and Thursday… meaning Inko had to be extra careful and sensitive. Her hands covered her head, trying to suppress her growing headache.

'_The detectives found no evidence of… anything. But the investigators agreed with me that the entire thing seemed suspicious. Realistically there is no way he could have left the house. He just… vanished. Someone… someone with a Quirk must have interfered.'_

Her thoughts drifted back to Izu. Her heart strained as the weight of what was coming dawned on her. '_I'm not ready for this, Hisashi. My heart breaks everyday normally… seeing her like this. What am I supposed to do without you. How will Izu react? Please… please come home.'_

Eventually Inko dragged herself up. She started preparing dinner in anticipation of Izu's arrival. Her mind was blank except for her trying to envision the many scenarios that could occur once Izu arrived. She automatically made some basic chicken and rice dish. Her subconscious realized she shouldn't make Izu's favorite. The dish would inevitably be forever be tainted by the memory... the information she'd have to reveal today. The meal was simple to make. Nothing too interesting, and she was sure it wouldn't be that good anyways. She could hardly focus on cooking right now.

Time ticked forward, and eventually the moment came. The front door's lock clicked, swinging open after a moment's pause. Izu cautiously entered the apartment. A car could be heard driving off in the distance, no doubt her grandparents returning to their home. Inko had to force her expression to remain semi-composed. She approached her daughter.

"Izu… how was the visit to Jiji and Baba's house?"

The nine year old made a disgruntled sound in lieu of actually answering. She began to remove her shoes and hang up her jacket after placing her bag of clothes on the floor. Inko swallowed. She shouldn't delay this.

"U-Uah. Izu? Darling…" The child simply looked up at her mother, still having not spoke a word. Inko led her to the couch, taking a seat right beside her. "Izu. I need you to listen very carefully. Daddy… Hisashi has… had to go. For some time. It… it's going to be just you and me for some time? Okay?" She pulled her into a hug.

Izu remained silent. Inko brushed her hair aside, hoping to look her daughter in the eyes. Inko's breath caught at what she saw. It was only there for a brief moment. Just a flicker, but it was unmistakable. The small girls eyes were watering but… for just a moment she seemed… happy? Relieved? Inko was sure she'd seen it. The edge of her lips were tilted upwards ever so slightly, but her eyes truly told the full story. She was… happy?

Ikno's mind briefly flashed back to four years ago. She'd seen this emotion before in her daughter all those years ago. When she learned she was Quirkless. She was sad, surely, but something deep within her wouldn't give up. That little bit seemed, almost… content?

Izu quickly composed herself. She'd nearly perfected the art of hiding her emotions, but such shocking information had made her lower her shields briefly. This revelation had… many implications. Their lives would change. But maybe… maybe this was a good thing. The nine year old knew what she had to do in this situation. Or… what most nine year olds would do. She forced herself to cry. She leaned forward to sob on her mothers shoulder. Inside she felt nothing but relief.

'_He's gone… He's really gone…'_

* * *

Inko's eyes flew open. Her breathing was ragged and she was drenched in a cold sweat. Her heart was beating like crazy. '_I… I dreamt of that day again.'_ She dragged her legs forward, wrapping her arms around them as she sat on her bed. The look on Izu's face was one she hadn't been able to forget. So harrowing… So heavy with emotions she still couldn't understand. Inko did have her theories, however.

'_Izu… must have known. Somehow. She must know what Hisashi did… to her. I can't imagine anything else that would've caused such a strong reaction… Or… could this be more a result of her reacting to what Hisashi said? Being told that by… her father of all people would certainly have an impact. Quirk or not.'_ Inko still, to this day had not told Midoriya about Hisashi's posthumous confession. After reading the note he left all those years ago, everything seemed to click in Inko's mind. All the odd things she'd seen made sense. The sudden shift in her daughter, the bottomless hole she fell into, and Hisashi's guilt… it all lined up.

She closed her eyes, silently praying that Izu was doing well at UA. She still hadn't called. Inko slowly recalled the first time she read Hisashi's note. It had been a year since he'd disappeared, and he was officially declared dead. The investigation was canceled. The case was closed, and he became nothing but another name in a long list of disappearances. After the small funeral they held, a box was recovered from a safety-deposit-box Hisashi had owned for many years. The only thing it contained was hastily done handwritten note.

Inko was wracked with guilt as she went over the note in her mind, remembering the first time she read it nearly six years ago, when Izu was still nine. She'd memorized every word.

"Inko,

I made a mistake. I did something I shouldn't have to Izu, and I'm afraid I've irrevocably damaged her psyche. Despite my Quirk registration, and what I've always told you, I… am not Quirkless. I have a Quirk, an incredibly dangerous one that I've kept secret from everyone in my life. It… has the power to change someone. My Quirk is called Convince. If I use my Quirk, I can convince someone I am touching of... anything. No matter what I say they will believe it to be true for a very long time. Even if what I say is wrong, or if it goes against their morals or beliefs… their mind will warp itself over time to accept my statement.

I… before I fully understood what my Quirk was capable of… I used it on people. For silly things. I got an A on an exam by convincing my teacher. I got out of trouble. As I got older I slowly realized why I felt so… bad all the time. No one in my life would disagree with me. No one would question anything I said. I'd used my Quirk for so many small things, that over time the people I surrounded myself with would believe anything I said, without hesitation. I left that day. Moving across the country and changing my name. After seeing how it could warp people I vowed to never use my Quirk again."

There were multiple crossed out words, and some water damage on the paper.

It continued, "Do you remember, Inko, when Izu was four and a half years old? We'd just returned from the doctors with her Quirk diagnosis. She was Quirkless. You were rightfully devastated. But… I was so ecstatic. She wouldn't be cursed by my Quirk. I was so happy to have built a life with you, a legitimate one. To be free of my curse. After I vowed to never use my Quirk, I never did… except when we learned of Izu's Quirklessness. I found it within me to make an exception.

You saw it as much as I did. We talked about it. We were both worried about her. She… Izu so desperately wanted to be a Hero, despite being Quirkless. Even after the diagnosis, her hope, her enthusiasm, her desire to be like All Might didn't falter. It was… so sweet to witness. But it broke my heart.

I didn't want her to get hurt… I wanted to protect her. Everyday I'd hear of a new infallible pro hero falling. I didn't want to see our daughters disappointment as she wasted her childhood trying to reach an unattainable goal. After I saw her bottomless determination to be a hero, I felt as though I could see the future. She would try so hard, devote herself entirely to the task. But… as she got older... she would fall short. Even if she did make it pro, somehow. She would be in a world of pain and failure. Quirkless people cannot be heroes. I didn't want her to be devastated by that realization after spending so many years believing she could…

Inko. Inko I… I used my Quirk on Izu. I told her that day… when she was just four years old... I told her should couldn't be a hero. I watched, as my guilt ate away at me, as her young mind warped and tore at itself in order to accept my statement as fact. Her young determination, enthusiasm, and… hope, all clashed with my Quirk in her mind. I watched as she fell apart from the inside. She'd second guess herself about everything. She knew deep down she so desperately wanted to be a hero, but also knew she _couldn't_. My Quirk forced that realization onto her. I… destroyed her.

Please watch over Izu as she grows up. My Quirk is not infallible. It is supposed to grow weaker with time. Usually a number of years, but truth be told I've never seen its effects vanish entirely.. But... I fear with Izu it will last much, much longer. She will have spent all of her growing and developing years absolutely certain she cannot be a hero. Her true nature will slowly start to show as she gets older. That girl… wants to be a hero more than anything else. As the effect of my Quirk weakens, those feelings of hers will start to resurface. I worry that… even after my Quirks effects weaken with time, the doubt inside her will remain. She will have spent so many years believing it to be true, I feel that even after its effects are minimal, she will remain convinced… that she can't be a hero."

There was more water damage on the bottom half of the note, smudging the last two sentences into an unreadable mess. Inko laid back down, hands covering her face in shame. She… found it hard to be angry at Hisashi. Nonetheless tears streamed down her face uncontrollably. '_Of course… what he did was terrible. But, he had good intentions. Right? I had the same worry for Izu when I saw how deep her desire to be a hero was. She wouldn't let anything stop her, Quirk or no Quirk. He… he just wanted to keep her safe. Right? But even then. All the sadness. All the pain. All the missing moments. The time spent inside. The time spent lying in bed. The skipped meals. The self deprecation. The cutting. Oh Hisashi… the cutting! How could… how could you do this to her! She… she was so young, Hisashi. To see our daughter go through such incredible mental trauma at such a young age… we were powerless to do anything. She… she's been seeing a therapist for more than a decade now. She's only recently stopped, substituting it for sessions with a friend of her Sensei, Yagi.'_

She wiped her eyes and got up. Knowing she couldn't ignore her responsibilities.

'_There is one thing that still bugs me. Izu… has a Quirk now. She said it was a special subtype of enhancement? Something about accumulating power so it can take a while to manifest in the person. I'm not too sure. Izu certainly knows way more about Quirks than I do. But there is no history in either of our families of anyone having an enhancement Quirk. So it was a mutation? Those are very, very rare though… But. Now, she is pursuing her dream as you thought she would, Hisashi. I hope… I hope she has enough support to make it at UA. Make it to her dream despite her mental limiters…'_

A thought crossed Inko's mind, one she had never considered. '_Should… should I tell someone at UA what Hisashi did? What's limiting Izu so much? Could… could they know a solution or treatment that would help her?!'_

* * *

Izu sat on her bed, staring at her fridge. She was facing quite the predicament. She'd run out of microwavable food. All that she had left was components. Which meant… she would have to go to the common area to cook. She sat like this for sometime, hoping that if she simply waited for some magical solution to show up, it would. Eventually her stomach reminded her to hurry it up. She sighed, but stood up anyways. Heroes need nutrition… meaning she had to eat.

Izu gathered the ingredients she needed in a plastic bag. Chicken. Rice. Broth. Carrots. Nothing fancy or complicated. She'd seen earlier that the first floor had a fully equipped kitchen, so she didn't need to buy any pots or pans to cook with. She stood in front of her door. Debating on when the best time to open it was. Izu quickly checked her phone. 8:13pm, Thursday. She sighed again.

'_This is prime time for… well... anything. No doubt people will be downstairs right now…'_ She opened her door and peered outside. The hallway was clear. She opted to take the stairs this time around, not wanting to wait around for the elevator. She walked down in silence, listening to her footsteps echo off the stairwell walls. As she reached the first floor she could hear a mixture of sounds. With only slight hesitation, she stepped out into the large room.

Izu's eyes scanned the group on the couches by the television. They sat in a circle, chatting quietly about something. '_Jiro, Ashido, Asui… Yaoyorozu? The floating pair of clothes, who I'm guessing is female based on her... chest. And the brown haired girl with pink cheeks. So all the girls are here? I wonder what they're talking about.'_ Izu quickly averted her gaze, making a beeline for the kitchen. She only got about halfway there before she heard someone call out to her.

"Midoriya!" Ashido called out, causing the rest of the girls to turn and look at her. Izu stopped, glancing around herself. She looked like she was caught red handed doing something illegal. Like making food was illegal. The pink haired girl got up and pranced over to the greenette. "Whatcha up to, Midoriya?" Ashido eyed the contents of her plastic bag. "Cooking huh? What are you gonna make?"

'_Th-Thats a lot of questions at once.'_ She gulped, trying to formulate an answer to the girls question. "Uh… I was going to make some chicken with rice…" Ashido gave a smile in response.

"Sounds good. I'd ask for some if I hadn't already eaten. Hey while it's cooking you should come sit with us. We're having... girl talk. I had to kick some guys out of this place." She flashed Midoriya a questionable smile… almost… evil looking?

Izu stopped to think. '_There would be… about 15-20 minutes of downtime as this cooks where I'd just be standing around. It… it would be rude to just stand here after being invited to sit with them. Plus…'_ She fidgeted, trying to come to terms with what she wanted to do. '_I kind of… want to meet them. The other girls… they all seem to be over there.'_

Ashido stopped to wait, knowing that Midoriya sometimes got lost in her own thoughts. This week she'd been keeping an ear out for her responses. She was truly an enigma who rarely, if ever, talked in class. Whenever Aizawa made her talk, or they had group discussions, she never seemed to give a wrong answer. On anything, regardless of subject.

The green girl looked up from her feet. She gave an almost imperceptible nod to the pink girl. "I'll… get this ready and… come over?" Izu shrugged slightly, not entirely sure if she said the right thing.

Ashido smiled brightly. She gave Midoriya an enthusiastic thumbs up. "Alright!" She skipped back over to the rest of the group, taking her seat again.

* * *

The room smelled faintly of chicken as Izu placed a cover on her rice, having already secured the chicken in the oven. She was finished. Which meant she now had to… go over. She looked over at the group of girls. They were all still laughing and smiling. They looked so peaceful and… happy. A pain struck Izu's heart. She couldn't entirely place the feeling, before she was interrupted by Ashido waving at her. The pink girl noticed she had finished.

Izu hesitantly walked over. The group had gathered around one of the circular couches, so they could all face each other while talking. Izu took a seat at one end, next to Yaoyorozu. She said nothing, but acknowledged Izu with a warm smile. She settled down in her seat, getting as comfortable as she could manage in this uncomfortable situation. She looked up at the group finally, freezing as she realized they were all looking at her. Ashido had a mischievous smile on her face.

"So Midoriya…" Ashido began. "I heard you hung out with Kirishima and Bakugo for a few hours on Monday…"

'_How… did she know that? Well I guess she could've seen us go down there together. Plus it's not really... needed to be kept a secret? I guess?'_ Izu was surprised at the girls… accusation? But nodded nonetheless.

"Ooooh. Well that answers part of my next question then, Midoriya." The pink girl paused for dramatic effect. "Which guys are you interested in, Midoriya? Who's your type! Spill it, quiet girl!"

"The shy ones always have the most radical tastes, I'm not surprised she's interested in Bakugo. Kirishima seems like a straightforward one, though." Asui added, glancing at Midoriya.

A blush immediately filled Izu's face, her hands gripped the fabric of her pants. "I… that's not why-"

"Oooh, what did you do with them down there, Midoriya? Did you get all hot and sweaty?" Jiro asked.

'_S-So vulgar! I… I mean she's technically right? Right? That… kind of counts. But maybe… phrased differently.'_ She spoke up quickly, hoping to dispel any myths among the girls. "W-We sparred… is all." She said simply.

Jiro laughed, her hand going to her stomach upon hearing Midoriya's response. "So what you're saying is, yes!"

Ashido made a pouty face, bummed that there wasn't more to the story. Midoriya didn't seem like one to lie. Yaoyorozu turned to Midoriya saying, "Sorry to keep the spotlight on you, Midoriya, but I do want to know. Who did you get your recommendations from? Considering you clinched the top spot on the recommendation exam, you must have some solid recommendations, no?"

Izu froze. She hated all this questioning. '_Why did I agree to come over here? I knew this would happen. Too many people want to know about my strength.'_ She frowned, debating on telling the truth or not. '_I… I can't lie. Someone will figure out the real answer eventually.'_ She waited a number of seconds before responding. Everyone else in the group was silent, evidently they wanted to know the answer as well. This was the first time in quite a while that three recommendation students made it into a single class.

Izu answered in a shaky voice. "Ah… All Might and… Principal Nezu."

An odd silence descended on the group. Many pairs of eyebrows went down, trying to discern if the girl was telling the truth or not. Izu had her head down, seemingly embarrassed by her answer.

Uraraka was the first to break the silence. "Th-Thats incredible, Midoriya! Getting a recommendation from the Number One Hero in the world! It really validates the crazy power you've demonstrated so far." The brown haired girl smiled at her. It was a very pretty, innocent smile that gave Midoriya pause.

'_This girl… she means it.'_ Izu's heart fluttered, not knowing how to respond to the praise. '_I… she's probably exaggerating. Probably...'_ She gulped as she thought on her last point. '_The power I've demonstrated so far… I've only shown up to 15% when in actual combat. I reached 43% during the baseball throw, but I can't use that with full-cowling yet… at least I don't think so. My arm ached for a whole day afterwards…'_

"It's true. You're quite impressive, Midoriya. Your power is truly similar to All Mights, I can understand why he would recommend you." Asui noted. She was quite observant, it would seem.

"Okay okay! We've interrogated her enough, right?" The floating clothes said. "I'm Toru Hagakure, by the way, Midoriya! Nice to meet you."

"Y-You too?"

"And I'm Ochako Uraraka. Pleased to work alongside you, Midoriya."

"Mmm." Izu nodded, she was slowly running out of quick responses, and she didn't want to repeat herself.

There was a brief pause as everyone debated where to take the conversation next. Eventually Jiro spoke up, asking "What's some music everyone likes right now? Doesn't have to be your favorite, that can be hard to answer. Just something you're into at the moment!"

Izu lost herself in the conversation. The girls had a good dynamic it seemed. Everyone had their specific niche they filled in the conversation. In truth, Izu didn't talk much at all. Only giving brief responses when they went around the group sharing answers to general questions. But… she enjoyed listening. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, and… it was a nice way to pass the time. She almost felt… included.

When there was a lull in the conversation, Ashido jumped on the opportunity. "Okay! Now… everyone's hottest boy in the class. Go! No skipping, you have to answer!" She rubbed her hands together, glad to see her evil plan was coming together. Many of the girls blushed at the question. No one wanted to answer first. Izu wanted to crumple into a ball and disappear. How was she supposed to answer this? No one wanted to go first, so Ashido took charge. "I think Kirishima… he's so sweet and has all the right values. He's perfect boyfriend material." She blushed slightly. Only Asui seemed to take notice though, as her pink skin hid it quite well.

Ashido pointed to Jiro, who was next in line. Jiro slumped her shoulders, dreading having to answer. She debated lying, but then she'd be stuck with her lie as her answer in the minds of the rest of the girls. "I… Kaminari's kind of a dunce, but he's really funny…"

"You're so matchy matchy, Jiro!" Uraraka exclaimed. "You should go for him!"

"Yeah well… It's… not my turn anymore." Jiro responded, head down in an attempt to hide her growing blush.

Izu malfunctioned. She was third and still didn't have a response ready. '_My… hottest boy? Do all the girls really have answers to that question? Isn't it rude if… some boys aren't chosen? Do they care? Well the boys aren't here to hear I guess… but still.'_ She fidgeted with her hands, trying to buy time as she thought of a potential answer. An image of each guy flashed through her mind. She was hoping one of them would jump out at her, or her body would give her some special response as she thought of one of them. But… no such luck.

"I uh… well." More fidgeting.

"Come on, Midoriya…" Ashido goaded, her voice dripping with mischief. The pink girl wasn't going to let anyone get a free pass, now that she'd answered first.

"Well Bakugo is… really strong?" Another odd silence descended on the group.

"Is he the hottest in your eyes, or the strongest? Or both? No dodging the question with funny answers, Midoriya!" Ashido chided, hand waving in the air in frustration.

"Uhh-" Midoriya began, but was interrupted by a beeping sound from the kitchen. '_I… I'm saved! Thank you, kitchen timer!'_ She looked off into the distance towards the kitchen, then briefly back at the group. "I-I should go get that… Sorry." She quickly excused herself, much to the dismay of a certain pink haired girl.

A chorus of sighs came from the other couch. "Don't think you're in the clear yet, you four!" Ashido pointed an accusing finger towards the other girls. "You still have to answer! You heard ours!"

Yaoyorozu began, tilting her head up and closing her eyes. "Well I don't see what use you'll have with my answer. I'm not interested in pursuing a relationship at UA, but if you must know… I think Todoroki has the best appearance among the males in our class."

"Ohoho. No relationship you say? We'll see about that, Yaomomo…" Ashido rubbed her hands together, imitating the classic villain trope. Yaoyorozu's stoic expression faltered slightly, betraying her true thoughts. The slightest hint of a blush crept onto her face. Yaoyorozu turned towards Asui, hoping she'd have an interesting answer to draw the attention away.

Asui stated simply. "My hottest student would be Midoriya." The other girls swore they heard a record scratch somewhere in the room. Asui looked expressionless as usual. "What?" The frog girl asked, noticing the others reactions. Ashido glanced over to the green girl in the kitchen. She was busy finishing her food. Blissfully unaware of the frogs answer, it would seem.

"Thats… okay. I dig it, Asui." Jiro responded.

"Would you have said that even if Midoriya was still here, Asui?" Yaoyorozu questioned.

"Yes. Why would I lie? Also I said to call me Tsu" The frog answered matter-of-factly.

Ashido shrugged her shoulders at the frog girl. "Not what I was expecting but I'll take it. Your turn, Hagakure!"

"Oooh oooh, definitely Kirishima for me as well! The red hair. Plus have you seen his room? So manly!" Ashido gasped, pointing an accusing finger at the invisible girl.

"You've been in his room?!" She half screamed, her hands flew up in surprise.

Hagakure crossed her arms, a smug smile covering her face (although no one could tell). "Yep, and I don't have to tell you why! Though… it's so manly. You're so right on him being boyfriend material, Ashido!"

"Gah!" Ashido looked off to the side, pouting as she was overshadowed by her classmates progress.

Asui turned to Uraraka, the last to answer. "Do you have your eye on anyone, Uraraka?"

The brunette blushed as she looked down at her hands resting in her lap. "Well… I sit next to Iida. I've been talking to him the most so far."

"Iida?" Hagakure questioned.

"That's an interesting choice, Uraraka. I had pegged him as kind of… stuck up?" Jiro stated rather bluntly.

"Do tell more, Uraraka." Ashido made a swirling motion with her hands.

"I… I thought so too! I saw what he did with Midoriya on the first day we moved in and I thought I didn't want to interact with him. But… he's so passionate about hero work. And very nice. He really… uses his head a lot and it serves him well." Uraraka confessed as she crossed and uncrossed her legs to ease her nervousness.

"I've witnessed that, too." Asui chimed in. "He certainly is devoted to learning, and is willing to help his fellow classmates." She nodded in approval of Iida, seemingly. "Though he is loud…"

Uraraka laughed at Asui's comment, smiling as she responded. "That's for sure, Tsu. It's hard to have a private conversation with him."

Ashido glanced around the room, looking for the missing green haired girl. She sure was taking her time finishing her cooking. She scanned the room. Empty. '_She left? I was too distracted by the rest of the girls answers. Huh. Guess I missed her.'_ She frowned. '_I was hoping she'd stick around to chat with us. Ah well… She'll come around, I'll bet. We are still in the first week after all.'_

Yaoyorozu found an opportunity to change the subject, much like Ashido did earlier. She began, "What is everyone expecting the battle training exercise we have tomorrow will look like? It's Friday, after all."

"Oooh I hope we get to do some smaller battles. Either small teams or one on one fights. I want to see what people can do!" Hagakure said, her arm raised. She was presumably fist pumping, based on the way her sleeve moved.

"I'm still nervous about fighting our classmates so early on… I still am not sure what everyones Quirk's are." Jiro stated, looking around nervously. "Plus… I've heard from upperclassman that you can get pretty beat up in these trials."

"I understand your concern, Jiro." Yaoyorozu answered. "While the promise of injury can certainly be off putting, I think it's good preparation for real hero versus villain encounters. We will get injured once we're out in the world."

"Y-Yeah you're right. I'm still worried about it though…" Jiro's ears burned red, slightly ashamed of her fear.

Uraraka spoke up. "I sure hope I don't have to go against Todoroki or Midoriya. I don't know what I would do against either of them. Todoroki swept his match, while Midoriya defeated me so easily last Friday…" She paused for a moment. "Although… part of me does want to try again against her. I need to show I can do better!"

"You were quite impressive, Yaoyorozu. Your Quirk is extremely versatile." Asui noted, nodding at the black haired girl.

"I… well. Thank you, Asu- Tsu-chan." Yaoyorozu smiled at the frog, who returned the gesture as best she could.

"I didn't really get to do anything last exercise. I sure hope the teams are more balanced so we all get to learn and participate this time." Ashido paused breifly, replaying what she just said in her mind. "W-W-Well I didn't mean it like that! Of course the recommendation students will be hard to beat, but we all have huge potential, y'know? I didn't mean to offend anyone."

Yaoyorozu quickly responded. "Midoriya and Todoroki are certainly forces to be reckoned with. Out of the ten students who took the test, Midoriya scored first, Todoroki got third. I got sixth. Class 1-B has two recommendation students. The truth is, I only got accepted via the recommendation program because Midoriya scored so much higher than the second and third place students. They had to curve the scoring for the rest of us."

"Yeah I was wondering why there were 5 total recommendation students this year. Considering it's usually only four. Two in each class." Uraraka commented. "Midoriya really scored that much higher than Todoroki? And some other person beat him out as well? That's crazy considering how quickly he eliminated that team of six."

"The person above Todoroki chose not to attend, despite being offered a spot. If they had accepted…" A grim look covered Yaoyorozu's face. Her thoughts were interrupted by a large hand on her shoulder. She looked at the frog girl, questioning her hand.

"It's okay, Yaoyorozu. You shouldn't worry about what could've happened. Lots of stuff could have happened but didn't. We should all focus on what challenges are being presented to us now." Asui hoped her words were reassuring to the black haired girl.

Yaoyorozu sat up straighter, looking forward. "You're right, Tsu. Thank you for the reassuring words." She looked at all the girls in front of her. "We all should try our best instead of worrying about how we compare to others. We're all here to be heroes." Everyone nodded in agreement, feeling a renewed sense of confidence flow through them on hearing her words.

* * *

Midoriya finished her food in her room, quietly reading a manga as she did so. '_It was… nice being able to listen to all the other girls talk. It felt good to sit with them. But… I didn't want to be the only one eating in the group. That would've felt odd.'_ She looked down at the bowl in her hands. '_Guess I'll have to bring this down tomorrow morning. We do have a group breakfast before our training exercise.'_

She gave the bowl a brief wash in her bathroom sink so to prevent it from smelling over night, leaving it to rest on her desk. She laid down on her bed, electing to simply read until she felt tired enough to go to bed. However, considering how early they got up last time she should probably go to bed soon if she wanted to get a good amount of sleep. '_I'll just finish this chapter then go to bed.'_ She smiled, losing herself in the story she was holding. She eventually fell asleep after reading four more chapters.

* * *

Izu's alarm blared, tearing her from the calm bliss of sleep. She sat up and rubbed her face, yawning as she did so. '_I never feel like I'm getting enough sleep nowadays. But I am keeping with my usual sleep schedule... right?_ She checked the time just to be sure. Indeed she was on time with her usual schedule. '_It's not like I'm exerting myself more… well maybe a little bit. But still, why am I always so tired?'_ She'd decided to wake up slightly earlier than she did last week. She wanted to be ready before Aizawa came to knock on their doors. She thought back to the events of last Friday. '_I guess we're having breakfast again as a group. It… wasn't bad last time? I'd still rather skip it but I don't know if Aizawa will be angry with me. I'll have to ask…'_

She went about her normal morning routine, simply losing herself in the monotony of it all. She debated for a moment on what to change into. '_Gym uniform, or workout clothes? We only wore our uniforms once so far on Monday. The three next days all were focused on hero law and other non-field hero work. So if it is a safe assumption that, because Fridays are training exercises, that I should wear my gym uniform?'_ Eventually she chose, donning her UA gym uniform. She put a change of workout clothes in her bag as a backup. Just in case.

Thankfully the breakfast passed fairly quickly, same as before. Ashido once again sat next to her, and was occasionally giving Izu some strange smiles. Izu was quieter this time around, as she was still going over the conversation she participated in yesterday. '_Lost of opinions and… thoughts. Is that girl talk? Is that what girls do? Did… was that gossip? The boy thing?'_ Izu continued to question the true reality of the "girl talk". It served as a good distraction. She barely realized she'd automatically put the plates and trays away once Aizawa announced the end of breakfast.

She snapped back into reality after Aizawa made a sound at her. "We're leaving, Midoriya." He turned towards the door, gesturing as he did so. Leaving indeed. Most of the class was waiting outside while a few stragglers fiddled with their things. She headed towards the door. Emerging outside, Izu took a moment to scan her classmates. Only a handful were not wearing their gym uniforms. It was a good call, it seemed.

Izu walked at the rear of the group this time around. She didn't want to push past anyone or walk around the group just to be behind Aizawa. She was lost in a day dream when a cough brought her to attention. Todoroki was now walking alongside her, giving her an expectant look. She tilted her head back slightly to look up at him. '_Why is everyone so tall… and what did he say? Why… is this when he decides to approach me? Again when we're talking to the training exercise…'_

He coughed again. "Well? What do you think, Midoriya?"

Immediately she started fidgeting with her hands. '_Not a great start to this conversation, dummy.'_ She gave a one word response and shrugged her shoulders. "Uhhm."

He gave her a perplexed look. It must have been a simple question. He hesitated for a moment, before asking "Did you hear what I asked?" The greenette shook her head in response. He repeated himself, saying "Who do you think deserves to be a hero in this class?"

"What?" Came her automatic response. '_What… is that question? Isn't the answer obvious? We're in UA! And why does he care about my answer? Does he even have an answer? What… how am I supposed to respond? I barely know everyone's names. That's nowhere near enough to judge how much they "deserve" to be a hero.'_ A frown formed on her face as she thought more and more about Todoroki's question. '_Also why is he even thinking about such a thing? He must already think there are some people here who don't deserve to be heroes. So he was trying to see if I agree on the people? What is… D-Does he have an opinion on me? Why did he expect me to be honest and answer such an… openly offensive question? Does it have something to do with his father? He did know an awful lot of information on me last week…'_

Todoroki took note of her rapidly changing demeanor. She clearly didn't like his question. She bristled - her whole body tensed as she gave a quick response. "That's… a silly question." She purposely kept it short. '_I... don't like this guy… making bad assumptions about our peers so soon.'_

He wasted no time in responding, though his voice was quieter now. "Don't pretend, Midoriya. You're exactly like me, I can tell. I know you had All Might as one of your recommendations. We're both disciples of some of the greatest heroes. You and I are leagues above every other student here, in more ways than just power." He clenched his fist, and his eyes radiated an invisible energy. Izu had seen these eyes before. Contempt. Disgust. Feelings she knew all too well. But he… Todoroki… was directing these feelings at other people? Classmates?

"You'd be mistaken if you think you have everyone figured out so quickly. What's your point in telling me all this?" She focused her annoyance with the boy, using it to speak quickly and concisely. She did not want to be in this conversation any longer than necessary. But… at the same time, she wanted to know more about what he thought.

"I want you to prove to the others today. Show them the gap. Let's show them how far ahead we are. You and I can help Aizawa weed out who doesn't… _shouldn't_ be at UA. It takes a special kind of person and Quirk to be a top hero in today's world. As far as I'm concerned, only us two have that potential. We can show UA how flawed their entrance exam was, to let in people with so little going for them."

A cold rage slowly seeped its way into her. She clenched her fists at her sides, trying to calm down. '_Todoroki… you're looking down at people... because of the pedestal you were born on. The Quirk you were born with. Whether or not you've realized this is irrelevant. But you're the kind of person I can't stand the most. You, who only sees value in one dimension, will be the worst kind of hero. Like father like son, I suppose. You may save people from danger. But you'll never save people the way All Might does.'_

Her next words were laced with a deadly venom. Potent enough to send chills down the usually stoic boys back. Their eyes briefly met through her curtain of hair, and he could feel the truth behind her statement. "You and I are nothing alike, Todoroki. I'll show everyone just how far ahead I am of _you_. Maybe then you'll rethink your flawed idea of what it takes to be a hero."

* * *

The class arrived in… a city? Many "Ooohs" and "Aaahs" could be heard as the class walked through the testing grounds. It appeared to be a fully operational faux city. Many were wondering when they would stop being surprised by UA's grand facilities. They truly spared no expense when it came to testing their students.

Aizawa led the class into a room with far too many television screens. The room resembled a buildings security center, as many of the screens had views from cameras inside a building shown on them. She seemed slightly confused as he stepped in, and quickly reached for his phone. He stepped off to one side, talking a low voice. After a brief minute he hung up his phone and turned to the class.

"It seems I will have to take command of this lesson. I was expecting All Might to teach this exercise, but he is apparently caught up in some hero work." Aizawa explained.

Many murmurs spread throughout the class of highschoolers. "All Might?! I knew he was a teacher but I figured he would be teaching the upperclassmen…" Ojiro said.

"I know right! How cool that he's going to be one of our teachers. I sure hope we get to have him soon." Sero added.

Many shared similar sentiments. It was hard not to be a gushing fan, especially when it came to All Might. He truly was like no other hero.

"Well." Aizawa interjected, silencing the chatter. "I don't know how All Might wanted to do this exercise, but I have my own ideas that I'm going to try." He paused briefly, flipping through some pages in his small notebook. He smiled briefly, glancing at the group of students. Some withered under his stare as he glanced at each student. He was clearly organizing something in his mind. Finally he broke his silence. "Okay. We're going to have four groups of five each. I will explain the rules of each encounter, so listen closely."

"The rules are quite simple." He continued. "One group will be the heroes, one the villains. The hero's will start outside the building and have to work their way in. If the heroes capture all the villains, OR wrench control over the fake bomb, then they win. Of course if the villains capture all the heroes, they win. The villains will also win if they can keep the bomb out of the heroes reach for ten minutes. Any questions?" Aizawa finished.

"Is there any reward this time?" Sato asked, ever hopeful.

Aizawa's expression remained neutral. "The reward, this time, is the experience you'll get from this exercise. Try to make the most of it by collaborating with your teammates." He stealthily glanced at Midoriya as he said this. Thankfully no one noticed. "I will announce the teams."

He glanced at his notes again, then began. "Team 1 will be Midoriya, Asui, Sero, Jiro, and Shoji. Team 2 is Sato, Aoyama, Bakugo, Hagakure, and Mineta. Team 3, Todoroki, Tokoyami, Kirishima, Iida, and Ashido. Lastly, Team 4 will be Yaoyorozu, Kaminari, Koda, Uraraka, and Ojiro."

Team 1 - Midoriya, Asui, Sero, Jiro, Shoji.

Team 2 - Sato, Aoyama, Bakugo, Hagakure, Mineta.

Team 3 - Todoroki, Tokoyami, Kirishima, Iida, Ashido.

Team 4 - Yaoyorozu, Kaminari, Koda, Uraraka, Ojiro.

Everyone slowly organized themselves into their respective groups. These ones certainly seemed more balanced compared to their last exercise. Aizawa spoke again. "Teams 1 and 3 will fight first. Team 1 will be the villains. Go get into your positions in the building I've marked here. The rest of you will wait here to watch the match with me. I will announce over the speaker when the exercise has begun. You have till then to talk strategy. Obviously use your best judgement on how much force to use. I will stop the exam and fail you immediately if I deem you are causing excessive injury or destruction to the environment."

Many gulped at their teachers last statement. That was a big thing to say so casually. The two teams not fighting began chatting up a storm. While teams 1 and 3 glanced at each other hesitantly, before finally heading towards the exit. None of the ten students said anything on the walk there. The walk was tense as each team eyed each other cautiously. Finally the teams separated, and the strategizing began.

* * *

Team 1 had gathered on the top floor of the building, surrounding the paper mache bomb. Shoji was the first to speak.

"So our enemies are... Todoroki, Tokoyami, Kirishima, Iida, and Ashido. Iida is fast. Kirishima can harden. Tokoyami has that shadow beast he can command. Ashido can use acid to melt things. Todoroki… can freeze extremely large areas in ice. Does anyone else have more information on them or should we just work with these assumptions?"

'_He had a good summary. He fit right into the leader role. I maybe would've added a few small details, but he hit the nail on the head for most of them. Although… I'm pretty sure Todoroki can use fire as well. I find it odd that the son of Endeavor wouldn't have his fire Quirk. Especially considering how his ice Quirk freezes him.'_ Midoriya simply nodded at Shoji.

"Okay. Working with that information, does anyone see any weaknesses they can capitalize on?" Shoji asked his team.

"Well I should be able to hear them coming. I can pick out sounds that travel through the walls and floors of the building." Jiro answered.

"Okay. That's good to know, good for gathering intel. I can accomplish the same thing, but more so with sight than sound." Shoji responded.

"I could tape up some areas to try and limit the area Iida and Kirishima have to work with? Though I think Ashido's acid could melt my tape pretty easily…" Sero said, sounding rather embarrassed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I won't be much use against Mina or Tokoyami, due to their acid and dark shadow." Asui chimed in. "But I should be able to restrain Iida, Todoroki, or Kirishima with my tongue if given the chance." A finger when to the bottom of her mouth in contemplation. The look fit her.

"I also have some sound wave attacks, but it could hit you guys as well. Plus it isn't too strong. While active anyone hit by it wont be able to hear anything, but it's not strong enough to knock them out or cause any real damage yet." Jiro added, looking down at the floor.

"Midoriya, do you have anything to add? You're pretty strong. What are you going to do?" Shoji asked the remaining member.

She'd been looking at the ground this entire time, he face hidden by her hair. She slowly bound her hair back in a ponytail, speaking only briefly. Her voice was low, in a dark tone no one had heard from her thus far. Then again, no one had heard her speak all that much to begin with. "I'm going to restrain them." Was all she said.

Shoji was a bit taken aback by her tone. Then again he knew next to nothing about the girl besides her speed and power. He was in no position to judge. "Very well. We have Quirks well suited for defence and information gathering. I recommend the four of us stay in this room while we prepare a defence based on the information we gather during the start of the test. Midoriya, due to your speed you can scout ahead and try to pick one off if you see the chance. Prioritize your own safety and come back to us if you get overwhelmed."

"Sounds like a solid plan." Sero commented.

"One question." Jiro said. "What will we do abou-"

"Begin." Came Aizawa's voice from overhead.

A rush of wind caught the four students off guard. One of the doors swung wildly from being blown open. Midoriya was gone.

The four students quickly regained their senses. "Sero, tape up some of the entrances, and create some obstacles for them in this room. Give Asui some things to swing off of." Shoji took command.

"You got it!" Sero exclaimed as he got to work.

Jiro had already moved over to one side of the building, her earjacks plugged into a section of the floor as she listened. Asui jumped into a corner of the ceiling, above the entrance Sero had yet to tape up. Shoji also got to work with his Quirk, sticking some long appendages out a window to try and scout the lower floors visually. A minute passed as they continued scouting and setting up the room for the coming fight.

Some rumbling came from the lower floors. Jiro could hear talking and the sounds of fighting on the second floor. She listened carefully, trying to pick up on key information to relay to her teammates. "Midoriya has found the heroes on the second floor." She said aloud. Shoji made a noise of approval. Sero had just finished taping up portions of the room as a defence.

Another minute passed. Jiro's face slowly warped to one of shock and disbelief at what she was hearing. Asui was quick to notice, asking across the room. "Jiro, what's wrong? What are you hearing?"

"Guys I think-" Jiro began.

"The villains have won this round. All heroes have been incapacitated." Came Aizawa's voice over the speaker.

* * *

'_I know I shouldn't do this. I'm… I'm actually partially proving his point if I do this. It's none of my teammates fault they can't keep up with me. They are all better suited for supportive or defensive roles in combat. But at the same time...'_ Midoriya thought as she sped through the halls. Green lightning arced off the walls as she channeled 10% of Full-Cowling. She dashed for the stairwells on each floor, trying to meet the hero team as soon as possible. She rounded a corner on the second floor, and found her targets. Seeing Todoroki's face reassured her. '_I have to do this.'_

The hallway stretched the full length of the building, and was quite wide. Four of the five enemies hesitated upon seeing Midoriya round the corner. Todoroki was the only one to not stop moving. Without a word, Todoroki stomped a foot forward. Ice emanated out from his foot, covering the entire hallway in an instant as the ice barreled towards Midoriya at frightening speed.

**In the observation room**

"It's just like last week. What he did to our team... Will Todoroki really end this match the same way?" Hagakure commented, watching the screen intently. Her pride was still bruised after her match against Todoroki. She was secretly hoping the villain team would win.

She was the only one to speak in the observation room. Many watched with bated breath, eager to see two of the top students clash.

'_How will this turn out... I wonder. I fully expect a blowout in one direction. But I'm not too sure which one yet.'_ Aizawa thought.

**In the testing building**

'_Hmm. His ice isn't as fast as I expected. I could easily jump to avoid this at the power I'm at now.'_ She smiled slightly, glad to have more proof of her power. '_It seems 10% would be enough to deal with Todoroki. That's… less than I expected. He must be able to do more, considering how much area he covered last Friday. This can't be the extent of his power.'_

The four members behind Todoroki had recovered their senses since spotting Midoriya. However, none of them could advance past Todoroki. His ice covered every inch of the hallway in Midoriya's direction. It would be hard to fight on that terrain. Their minds halted as the ice collided with its target. Instantly Midoriya's entire body, up to her neck, was frozen solid.

Todoroki chuffed upon seeing his attack hit. "You didn't dodge."

The green girl said nothing in response. Her face was clearly visible, her expression one of pain and annoyance. '_It's a hell of a lot colder than I anticipated. It also stings. Feels like pins-and-needles. I'd definitely go numb if I stayed like this for any extended period of time.'_ She glanced down at the ice surrounding her body. '_It's maybe an inch thick in most places? Maybe slightly more surrounding my major joints. He certainly has a lot of control. Will… will any of them actually be convinced I'm trapped? I'd rather not stay like this for long…'_

As Midoriya continued glancing around the room, analyzing Todoroki's attack, Kirishima yelled out. "This is our chance! Iida, lets cuff her and move onto the next floor." He didn't wait for a reply, dashing forward immediately. Iida raised a hand to protest, but the redhead was quickly gone. No time to listen to any feedback. Iida grumbled and launched himself forward, having to play along for now. Tokoyami and Ashido followed suit, shooting Todoroki confused glances as they ran past him onto the ice. He simply stood there and watched, eager to see how Midoriya would react.

'_There's no way ice that thin would restrain her. I saw what she did during the grip strength test on the first day. She'll likely break out of that once Iida and Kirishima get close. Whether or not they do anything doesn't matter. I already planned for this to be a one versus five. Or more like one versus one… Once they're eliminated I can move them to a safer location to unleash an actual attack. Then we'll see how Midoriya fairs...'_

Izu focused on the two quickly approaching figures. Her eyes softened slightly upon seeing Kirishima charge at her. She felt slightly bad that he'd fallen for her simple ploy. _Slightly._

In an instant the atmosphere changed. Green electricity coursed through the ice, the light refracted in all sorts of interesting directions. It seemed to give Midoriya a green hazey aura. Kirishima and Iida were within five feet now. Midoriya closed her eyes and focused, trying to remain calm throughout the fight. She didn't want to use more than was necessary. Restraint was an important part of her power, afterall.

Her eyes flew open and time seemed to slow to a crawl. '_20% Full-Cowling.'_ She calmly spoke in her mind. The odd sensation washed over Kirishima and Iida. Iida was caught completely off guard, and spent the subsequent seconds panicking, trying to figure out what to do and what was even happening. Kirishima was slightly more prepared. Before launching off the floor, he knew exactly what action he was going to take.

The redheads eyes widened slightly as his perception of time warped, but he was ready. '_Good. Don't panic, Eijiro. Remember the motion. Just because times all weird doesn't mean the laws of physics stop working.'_ He swung his leg out, hardened to its max. He was hoping to take out or injure one of her legs to cripple her movement. '_She's even faster than Iida, so we can't have her moving around for much longer!'_

Kirishima gaped as he watched his leg fly toward Midoriya. '_So slow…'_ He glanced at her and his mind instantly went into overdrive. Panic set in. '_The ice is gone? She's free?! Crap wait, I'm still kicking towards her!'_

The ice surrounding Izu's body shattered instantly as she tensed her whole body. Now free, she took three quick steps forward, ducking under Kirishima's slow kick. She delivered a swift 15% chop to the back of his neck. His momentum changed due to the sudden chop. He would go tumbling off to the side shortly. She turned to Iida, wincing as she saw his panicked expression. Guilt washed over her as she took multiple quick steps towards the blue haired boy. She did the same to the back of his head. His eyes instantly unfocused. He was unconscious.

She maintained her power, as she prepared to leap off the ground and rebound off a wall to get to the other two students as quickly as possible. She could see Todoroki in the distance watching. He was intensely focused on her actions, and their eyes met briefly. '_Impressive.'_ She thought. '_He's quite capable indeed. There's no denying that.'_

Izu leaped off the wall, shattering the ice covering it. She soared through the air, passing Ashido and Tokoyami. She spun around to face them as she flew by. '_22% Delaware air cannon!'_ She tensed both her hands, surrounding them with green electricity briefly. She fired off a blast in both directions, then finally relaxed her power. She flew over Todoroki's head landing about ten feet behind him. Time resumed normal speed, and so many things happened at once.

Two body's collided with the icy ground, sliding briefly before coming to a stop. The redhead groaned, rubbing the back of his neck in pain as he writhed. The blue haired boy simply rested face up, his face neutral, eyes closed. Two more grunts were heard only a moment later. Tokoyami and Ashido were both hit by a massive concussive force in their backs. Their trajectories changed and they smashed into the wall on either side of them. Tokoyami seemed to take the hit rather well, as he stood up after only a moment of shaking his head.

Ashido slid to the ground and breathed heavily. The hit had certainly winded her and injured her back. She was likely out of the fight. '_Three down, two to go. I'm sorry Tokoyami, but I have to prove a point.'_

Todoroki spun around in the instant Midoriya flew overhead. Facing her now, he spared a glance back at his teammates. Concern briefly flashed across his features. Izu's eyes raised slightly, noticing the quick showing of emotion. '_Well… he does want to be a hero. So that makes sense. You're certainly not all bad Todoroki. I… I hope we can come around to work together.'_ She let out a small sigh as she glanced at Tokoyami. His breathing was ragged but he still standing nonetheless.

Dark Shadow came forward and surrounded his body, forming an intimidating looking set of armor around the boy. He quietly muttered something about 'preemptively activating' or something, but Izu couldn't quite hear him due to their distance.

The three stood for a number of seconds, no one said anything. The only sounds audible being an occasional groan from Kirishima and Ashido's direction.

Todoroki broke the silence, glancing over at his one remaining teammate. "Tokoyami, gather up whoever is still awake and move to the next floor. I will try to delay her. See if anyone is capable of still fighting, if so try to make your way towards the bomb. I will join you as soon as I can." He didn't wait for a response. He conjured a _much_ thicker ice wall between him and the avian teen, sealing the entire hallway.

He turned back to face the greenette, and was shocked to see her body was mere inches away from his. Todoroki's eyes flew open. '_She's so close! She closed that much distance immediately?'_ Once again time slowed to a crawl. He took a moment to analyze her expression. Her eyes were hollow and… guilty? She didn't look happy, that's for sure. His eyes roamed down her face, trying to discern whatever he could. Her face was rarely visible. He saw her cheeks were tinged a slight pink. '_She's blushing? No… her blood must be rushing from exerting herself so much.'_ His subconscious took note that Midoriya didn't seem to be out of breath at all.

A massive force hit him in the stomach, he didn't even have time to look down to see what had hit him. Surely her fist. A sizeable gust of wind followed shortly after. He had no time to react, and he went flying backwards, smashing into the ice wall he'd just created. His mind struggled to form coherent thoughts. He'd bashed his head against the wall and was struggling to maintain focus. '_She… she got me?! So easily!?'_ Refusing to give up, he moved an arm under himself. He tried to move into a sitting position and instantly felt nauseous. '_My head… I must have a slight concussion. I… I'm out. She won.'_ He closed his eyes, a grimace donning his normally expressionless features.

Todoroki heard a massive "_CRUNCH_" off to the side. He was vaguely aware that the ice wall he'd created had been shattered with ease. Tokoyami glanced back, shocked to see Midoriya so soon. '_It… it's only been a few seconds! Todoroki was already eliminated? I… do I drop my teammates and try to fight her? I can't run from her. That must be the right choice.'_ Tokoyami quickly dropped the three teammates he was carrying. He forced himself to focus, going into crisis mode. He looked deep within himself and tapped into his inner darkness. His eyes turned a dangerous shade of black-purple. His dark armor flared, shadowy tendrils flared out from his arms at astonishing speed.

'_Woah. Woah!'_ She powered up to 20% Full-Cowling, not wanting to receive another embarrassing hit like last week with Aoyama. Midoriya was astonished by Dark Shadows speed. She'd barely had time to analyze the situation after her vision was cut off by Todoroki's wall. Two massive shadowy fists were flying towards her from each side of the hallway. The fists slowed as her perception of time shifted… but…

'_They're still coming! He… he really is fast! I have to dodge. I don't want to check if I can break out of those fists. He could have some other aspect of his Quirk I don't know about yet.'_ She jumped up towards Tokoyami, cracking the floor as she did so. Instantly the shadowy fists changed their direction to her new trajectory. '_Im-Impossible! There's no way he could react that fast! Is… does his Shadow react automatically? I never considered that the shadow was autonomous.'_ The huge fists clasped around her body, trapping everything but her head in solid shadow.

Her sudden stop whipped her head forward, instantly giving her a headache and slight nausea. '_I… I'm caught! I… what do I do? I need to break out. Can I? Will I hurt him if I wrench out? Can I even do it?'_ Tokoyami suddenly spoke. His expression was wild with surprise.

"Dark Shadow! Can you hold her?!" He yelled.

"I… I don't know! She seemed to just keep getting stronger!" The shadow monster replied.

A bead of sweat ran down the side of Tokoyami's head. Suddenly…

Dark Shadow's hands exploded outwards, dispersing into nothingness. The shadow cried out, returning most of itself to surround Tokoyami. His armor seemed to shrink in size. Midoriya appeared to levitate in the air for some time. Tokoyami watched her float there, not really understanding what was happening. '_This is different than before. It… it feels like time has totally stopped! Earlier when she dashed between us I could still notice movement. But now…'_ His eyes widened and his stomach dropped as he fully took in what Midoriya looked like.

Green electricity surrounded her. She seemed to have an aura around her, it was almost hard to look at. She was so… '_Intimidating…'_ Was the one word that crossed Tokoyami's mind.

'_Full-Cowling: 35%!' _Izu screamed in her heart. Wasting no time, she fired off an airblast at the avian teen. In an instant the projectile collided with him. His armor ate most of the impact, but he was blasted backwards nonetheless. He collided with the wall and let out a pained groan. His armor dissipated as he laid on the ground. He was still conscious, but… ultimately defeated.

Almost immediately Aizawa's voice echoed throughout the entire building. "The villains have won this round. All heroes have been incapacitated."

Midoriya looked down at her hands, her eyes watered as the weight of her actions crashed down on her. She looked around the ice covered room. Most of it was starting to melt. She looked at Iida, still unconscious on the ground. She looked at Kirishima and Ashido. They were both groaning in a corner, awake but with eyes closed. Guilt ate at her, but she had to hold it in. She still had to finish class. Her hands went to cover her mouth, her breathing was ragged.

'_Why… why did I do this? What was the point. I… got angry and… did this?'_ Her hands twitched as she tried to form coherent thoughts. But none came. The rest of the day passed in a haze, she was vaguely aware of the being present for a conversation and being asked questions by her teammates and other classmates as she somehow ended up in the observation room. None of it registered to her though. Her mind was elsewhere.

Internally, she cried. A quiet, practiced sobbing that only she could hear. Her eyes remained open, hollow and lifeless.

* * *

Authors note:

Backstory! Things will certainly get more flushed out as this story gets longer.

I hope I didn't make Todoroki seem like too much of a 'bad guy'. He'll certainly have some kind of redemption later in the story. Maybe a shift of heart, we'll see. Nothings off the table!

I'll update typo's and incorrect English as I read through the chapter a few times. Its hard to notice in .doc form.

Please leave your thoughts and feedback! I read them all!

~Till next time

* * *

Review responses:

MIKE202303: I hope this answer some of your questions! I'll certainly develop it more as we go on. Plus theres some added mystery as to where/what happened to Hisashi.

Livingl: Here you go!

lemonfactoryxx: Aww. I sure hope I can delay your sadness for a while ;_;. Thank you though! It really means a lot!

Vortex The Victini: She'll certainly have lots of other experiences to help her break out of her shell! I have some fun ones in mind that just scream typical High-school nonsense. Thank you for the kind words on the opener. It's certainly a tough thing to deal with, especially alone. I hope to try and express what it's like to try and deal with feelings like this when you think you're all alone. I'm glad to hear things have gotten better!


	8. Pain x Salvation

'_I'm worried… which by default means something has gone quite wrong. I never worry.'_ Aizawa rubbed his temples as he glanced at Midoriya. She'd walked back with her team and was standing off to the side. She ignored her team when they tried to talk to her. She hadn't let her hair down, and her expression was plain to read. What worried him was her eyes… she had that thousand yard stare. He surveyed the class. Many were trying to hide their curious looks at Midoriya. She didn't seem to notice or care.

"Groups two and Four, it's time for your battle exercise. Team two will be the villains. Go to your positions and wait for my signal to start. Go." He sighed as the ten students left the observation room. He waited a few minutes, before muttering 'Begin.' into a microphone. As the rest of the students were distracted by the start of the second match, he walked over to the girl in question. "Midoriya, how are you?" He waited a few moments for a reply. She gave no indication she'd heard him. "Midoriya." He tried again. No response.

He took out his phone and started tapping away on it. Just as Aizawa was about to call for a medical team to check out the girl, she spoke. "Can I leave?" Was all she said.

This gave Aizawa pause. '_She should stay here to watch the other match and listen to the group discussion…'_ He tried to make eye contact, but she was looking through him. A slight chill went down his spine. He'd seen that look before. Aizawa reached up and rubbed his face, sighing in defeat. "Yes you can return to your dorm room. But you must come see me next Monday to catch up on what you miss."

She turned towards the exit without a second thought. A few watched her leave. Two had particularly concerned expressions… a certain redhead and frog.

* * *

Izu stumbled into her room, her breathing threatening to turn to hyperventilation at any moment. '_I… I have to… I need to.'_ She trudged over to her dresser, kicking her trashcan over as she did. She ripped open the bottom drawer and reached towards the back. She felt the small object she was looking for. The small box jingled with the sound of metal as she half-fell onto her bed. She opened the box with shaky hands, a frantic energy coursing through her all the while.

The small girl stripped out of her clothes with surprising efficiency, down to just her undergarments. She shivered slightly as she sat on her bed. She paused as her eyes landed on the many small razor blades. She sat on her bed simply looking down at them, waiting for her body to automatically take over, as it always did. A small part of her brain made itself known. It reminded her of an annoying itch she couldn't scratch. '_You shouldn't do this…'_ The quiet voice said. It sounded… oddly similar to… her? She continued to stare at the blades in her hands, unable to form any coherent thoughts.

The itch chirped up again. '_Izu… this can't be what you want to do. This isn't good for you.'_ Her anger flared. She grabbed a blade and hiked her boxers upwards, revealing her upper thighs. The sight stopped her. She usually ignored the organized scars whenever she had to strip down. Too many lines to count dotted her upper thighs, on both legs. Each line held guilt, and a memory. Some particularly unsavory moments flashed before her eyes as she traced over the lines of scar tissue with her free hand. She was always careful to ensure they would never be seen, under any circumstances. Upper thigh was a good place for this. No one would ever that part of her body. She'd promised herself that many years ago.

Her eyes darted over her marred legs, searching for a free spot. '_You know this is wrong…'_ The voice came again. It sounded like her this time. "I know…" She said aloud. "But I need… I deserve it. I did something bad again." She continued. She cocked an eyebrow, hearing herself speak out loud.

Izu leaned back on her bed, lifting her legs into the air. Her free hand traced the back of her legs, just below her butt. A checkerboard of lines could be felt. No room. She sighed. A part of her could tell her desire for this was waning as it took more and more prep time. She was getting more and more impatient.

'_You could go talk to someone…'_ The voice told her. Frustrated, she fell back into a sitting position. She seriously debated cutting over an existing line. But… those were never clean cuts. The last time she did that it got infected. She'd almost been discovered. "Too risky…" she quietly spoke into the empty room. '_Your phone is close. Call someone.'_ She grimaced. "Who would I even call? I feel like I'd fall apart if I had to talk to someone… right now." Her thoughts betrayed what her body wanted. Needed. She continued to speak out loud, not entirely sure which part of her was forming the words.

Her hands were shaking now. The nervous energy within her was threatening to bubble over. The anticipation of the rush… The rush she hadn't felt for months. Was so tantalizing. So close. All she had to do was find a spot. She quickly stood up and went over to her bathroom mirror. She leaned in close, looking for some spot elsewhere on her body she could keep hidden easily. The back of her neck? No. She had to put her hair up occasionally. The side of her hips? That had promise. She moved the waistband of her boxers down slightly. She frowned as a problem came to mind. "It probably wouldn't heal right… if I have to have a waistband on it all day." She made a frustrated sound, almost a shout, as she headed back to her bed and sat down.

She glanced at the box to her right, then to the small blade in her hand. She hesitantly placed the razor back in the box, hand shaking all the while. '_Good, Izu. Good.'_ She flinched at the sound of the voice in her head, causing many of the razors to spill out onto her bed. A violent shiver wracked through her small frame. She could feel it coming soon. This happened whenever the damn voice started talking. It dominated her thoughts and didn't allow her to process anything. Her head hurt, and she couldn't control her breathing. She was no stranger to full blown panic attacks. Doesn't mean she'd ever gotten used to them, however.

"I have to hurry…" She fiddled with the pile of spilled razors, but wasn't able to grab one. Tears slowly fell down her face, blurring her vision slightly. Her hands flew up to cover her eyes, and her back heaved as each uneven breath came and went. '_If you want to be a hero…'_ Instantly her whole body tensed as the word 'hero' went through her mind. Her breathing stopped, but her heart was beating painfully fast. '_...then you need to overcome this part of you.'_

Anger. Hatred. Guilt. Confusion. Uncertainty. Desire. All this and more flooded through her as she registered what the voice had said. For the first time in years, she yelled. "WHAT DO YOU KNOW, STUPID BRAIN?! WHEN HAVE YOU EVER BEEN RIGHT?" Without a second thought she grabbed two blades between her fingers and raked them across her stomach. She felt a rush of pain, before quickly repeating the action again, slightly higher this time. Another rush, her eyes fluttered in bliss.

The cuts were clean and shallow. She fell back on her bed, her stomach stung with a burning pain she was familiar with. She closed her eyes as she spread her arms out on either side of her, simply relishing the feeling. '_This is… how its supposed to be. What I deserve…'_ She could think clearly now, no longer needing to speak out loud to think. The voice was quashed, she swore she could feel it retreating down into herself as she regained control.

'_I regained control…'_ The thought rested on her conscious for some times. '_What did I regain control from… the voice? What is… it? Why did it sound like me this time… I sounded so young.'_

She laid on her bed for some time, just enjoying the feeling fluttering through her. She was vaguely aware of the blood covering her stomach. The four cuts were long, going from one side of her nearly to the other. Five minutes turned to ten, ten to twenty, and… slowly but surely the aftermath set in. The enjoyable sensation of receiving her comeuppance slowly vanished, and was replaced with a deep burning sensation. Izu tried to ignore it, but this always happened. The euphoria was always short lived, and what followed was a long and regretful healing process.

Tears flowed freely down either side of her head, but her mouth formed into a small smile. She barked out a bitter laugh. '_I did it again…'_ She glanced at her blood covered hands, still smiling.

* * *

Aizawa strode through the halls of UA with a pissed off look on his face. No one dared try to stop him as he marched his way towards Nezu's office. He'd let him know he was coming, so he didn't bother knocking and simply wrenched the door open as soon as he arrived.

"Hello Shota" Nezu said from his desk, glancing at the abruptly opened door. "Please have a seat. What did you want to talk about?"

Aizawa chose to remain standing, leaning against a wall and crossing his arms. "Izu Midoriya, class 1-A hero course. I want to read her file."

"Oh? That's unlike you. What about her has caught your interest?" The animal said while fishing through a cabinet.

"Her Quirk. And..." He shook his head. "Other stuff. She's so incredibly strong. I know she's a recommended student, but I've never seen a student on her level before. She lacks experience, but she's already far above many pro's in terms of combat ability." He scratched the back of his neck in slight annoyance. "She's making it hard to have proper training lessons. She is constantly soloing everything in team exercises. But… she succeeds, so I can't exactly fault her for it. But also..." He looked at Nezu, who'd produced a manilla folder from his desk.

"So you want to know more about her Quirk to better plan lessons that she can benefit from, without her denying her classmates a chance to practice. Is that right?" Aizawa nodded. "What else then, Shota? You had something else to say." Nezu's voice was a tone darker as he pushed the folder across his desk towards Aizawa.

Aizawa walked over, grabbing the folder and opening it up. Inside was a picture of the girl, the same one that was on her ID. He scanned over the information, scrutinizing the "private observations" section. '_So her father is out of the picture. And… she was thought to be Quirkless until two years ago? Is… is that even possible? So that means she got to this level of power and control over her Quirk in only two years? What is she? A monster?'_ He flipped a page, hoping to find more information.

His eyes scanned the page with impressive speed. '_An accumulation-type enhancement Quirk? I've… never heard of such a thing. She's clearly in the upper echelon when it comes to enhancement powers. In fact the only individual I can think of that could surpass her in power would probably be All Might. Maybe Fatgum, but he can only do powerful attacks once.'_ Her Quirk acquisition also struck him as interesting, but it wasn't what he was had the patience for right now.

"Interesting, but this isn't what I was after, Nezu." Aizawa closed the folder, placing it back on the desk. He sighed, then finally revealed what he'd actually wanted to talk about. "She's so… sensitive?" His hand went to his chin. "That's not the right word. She seems to… always think she's doing something wrong. That's what it feels like at least." Aizawa didn't miss Nezu's expression darken. '_So there is more to this girl.'_

"Shota, that girl… will serve as a true test of UA's teaching potential, and how much we can offer our students. She has the power within her to easily best almost any foe. But she is… limited."

"Limited? Explain."

"Limited. Caged. However you want to interpret it. It's as you've seen. She is a troubled young girl." Nezu paused, debating if he should tell the man. Eventually, he decided it was for the best if Shota knew. Aizawa didn't miss the shift in atmosphere as Nezu said "Shota, what I am going to tell you cannot be repeated outside of this room. You are not to take any notes of this conversation, do you understand?"

'_This is what I was looking for.'_ Aizawa quickly composed himself. "Yes, Sir. I understand."

Nezu took a deep breath, sighing to himself before beginning. "That girl, Izu Midoriya, was born Quirkless. It was confirmed when she was four years old. But… she always wanted to be a hero despite this. I've known her father for quite some time, and he would always tell me of her endless desire to help people." Nezu's voice was heavy with emotion. He paused for a moment to gather himself. Aizawa was locked onto the principle, listening closely to every word. He'd never seen the principle like this…

Nezu coughed before continuing his story. "Her father… had an extremely… problematic Quirk. His Quirk could force someone he was in contact with to believe anything he said. Naturally, you can see how destructive this could have been. Thankfully, he was a good man." Nezu paused again, his eyes looking down at Izu's folder. A heavy darkness covered his eyes. "Even good men… make mistakes however. Hisashi Midoriya made his four year old daughter believe… Well. He said to her simply 'You can never be a hero.' and… this had a devastating effect on her psyche."

Aizawa's eyes widened as he started to connect the dots in his mind. "So then she developed an extremely late Quirk. Why is she even at UA then if she believes she can't be a hero?"

"I was wondering that too, but the girls mother came forward and revealed more information to me very recently. Apparently her fathers Quirk reduces in power over time. It's been… just about eleven years since it was used on her. She spent nearly all of her growing years with conflicting mindsets and emotions inside her. Her father's Quirk won the battle, and repressed her true nature, since it was so closely tied to what she was forced to believe. Now that it's hold on her is weakening, she… is trying to claw her way back to the surface. She is trying to reach for her dream she thought impossible-."

Nezu paused, his voice was unsteady. He closed his eyes and took a moment to right himself. "But… I fear she is more vulnerable now more than ever, as the battle that already broke her once... is again raging in her mind."

Aizawa remained silent, unsure of how to react to the information. '_What a sad story. I… so many of her actions during the first week have a different air to them now. With context…'_ The man glanced at his superior. "Well, what do you say the best course of action is to deal with her situation?"

The rodent began. "I've been seeing her for some basic therapeutic sessions for a while now, but she will need a more permanent solution than me." He rubbed his chin in thought. "What about the other students? Has she made friends?"

"Not in the traditional sense. She's hung out with two groups of people from what I've seen. Can't say how close she is to friendship, however." Aizawa responded

"Mmm. Well I expected this. I will... take the weekend to think on this and get back to you. I will be in touch with her mother as well, in case there is anything she can tell us that might be helpful."

Aizawa simply mumbled in response, not quite liking that nothing could be done to address the issue immediately. He put up a hand to serve as a goodbye, stepping out of Nezu's office with a clouded mind. That, and he still had to come up with lesson designs that she could equally participate in.

With Shota gone, Nezu leaned back in his specially-made chair, staring at the ceiling with clouded eyes. "Oh Midoriya… what are we going to do with you?" He wondered aloud. '_I need to get into contact with Toshinori. He's been weakening far faster than we anticipated. He is nowhere near his pre-injury strength. If anything… he should devote himself to teaching while he still has powers.'_ Nezu made a disapproving face, not liking the reality that he was currently facing. He brought his hands up and rubbed his eyes. '_How do we train Midoriya at this point? She could easily overwhelm most Pro's at her current level. Speed, power, durability. Is there another hero that can match her in any two of these? If so then they could serve as… a decent sparring partner.'_

Nezu pulled out a large binder and began to thumb (paw?) through images of heroes, humming to himself as he searched.

* * *

Izu's eyes had adjusted to the pitch-blackness of her room. She'd been staring at the dark ceiling for a while now. Her arms and shoulders ached from the position she'd been in for so long. Her abdomen felt like someone had burned her. She'd regained her senses, but still hadn't found the strength to move. A knock came on her door, and her panic returned full force.

She stood up and took two full steps towards the door before she realized what she looked like. Only wearing a bra and underwear, with most of her stomach and the top part of her boxers covered in a thin layer of dried blood. Not a good look. She took another hesitant step towards the door, and asked it "W-Wh-Who's there?"

"It's Kirishima" The voice on the other side said. "Are you alright, Midoriya? You looked pretty shaken up after your match."

"I'm f-fine." Was her quick reply. '_He came to see me…?'_

"Yeah… You've said that before. Can I come in? To talk?" The redhead asked.

That gave her pause. '_He wants to… come in?'_ Izu did a visual sweep of her room. Trash spilled on the floor. Blood on her bed. Razors… "N-No! You can't… come in." For some time she didn't hear anything. '_Did… did he finally give up? I… I've denied him so many times.'_ A strange feeling washed over her. She didn't quite know how to place it. Guilt? Not exactly. She waited another few seconds, before taking a seat against her door. She rested her head against her knees and sighed, her abdomen still burned…

"Then, can we talk like this?" Came the unexpected reply.

Her head popped up as his reply registered. She wasn't sure how to respond to that. '_He's going to… sit out there? Why is he… Why would...'_ Her thoughts were interrupted as she felt the door move slightly as something shifted against the other side of it. '_He's sitting against the door…'_

"So… I'm not exactly… the best with feelings. But... What do you wanna talk about, Midoriya?" His voice was much quieter than before.

'_Why are you doing this?'_ Was the first thing that crossed her mind.

"I uh… I don't like seeing people upset. Especially a classmate."

Her breath hitched. '_Did I say that out loud?!'_

Kirishima continued. "So rough day today, yeah? You did win… but you didn't seem too happy about that."

'_H-How do I want to respond? What can I even tell him? Will I be oversharing? I don't… I don't want to burden him…'_

The boy pressed on, despite still not receiving an actual reply. "I'm gonna take a shot in the dark, Midoriya. Let me know if I'm wrong. Are… are you upset because you're too strong? It sure doesn't feel like we've seen 'your best', and you've been destroying everyone."

She made a noise somewhere between 'Yes' and "Uh Huh'.

"So you're worried about how your actions are affecting the rest of us, yeah? Yeah… that can be a tough thing to deal with. But you kno-" He quickly cut himself off as he heard her speak.

"W-What kind of hero d-does what I do? Denying my class… the chance to practice..." Her voice trailed off.

He waited a moment to see if she would continue. "You… you know no one is angry with you, right?"

"You should be."

"Why?" Was his simple reply.

"W-w-w-wuh, I've been! And the lesson! So f-fast, not being able to…" She word vomited. She trailed off as it dawned on her…

"So you don't even know why." He voiced her thoughts exactly. "How can you expect us to be angry with you, if you don't even know why?" He questioned. There was a long pause. '_I haven't heard her move… is she still there?'_

"B-buh. Because… I'm... not meant to be... a hero." She struggled to speak properly, sniffling in between words.

"That's bullshit and you know it, Midoriya. No one is 'meant' to be a hero. They get to decide for themselves."

"But-"

"No buts. How could it be any different? Only _you_ get to decide what _you're_ going to be." A bead of sweat fell down the side of his head. '_I… I hope I'm making sense… or at least making… her feel better? I'm not too sure what I'm after right now.'_ Another long silence descended upon the two, neither said anything. The door moved slightly, and he heard some shuffling from inside. He waited a minute, but the shuffling continued. "M-Midoriya?" He called out. No reply.

He stood up and turned to face her door. He moved his hand to knock on her door, however he hit nothing but air. The door was open. He could see her peeking around the side, looking at him with one eye. They remained like this for some time, before she finally spoke. "W-would you c-c-come in?"

He wanted to smile, but managed to stop himself. He could tell… '_She seems awful. What… what happened, really?'_ He took a step forward, and she mirrored him by taking a step back. Neither of them had a hand on the door, so he hesitantly asked. "You're sure?"

She said nothing in response, instead opting to take another step backwards. Kirishima followed suit. The two continued this back-and-forth until Kirishima was fully inside. He shut the door behind him, his eyes struggling to adjust. The first thing he noticed… '_It… it smells. What is this? Blood?'_ He tried to scan around the room but could barely see anything past Midoriya. '_That's right, she always keeps her light off, and draws the curtains…'_

The girl wordlessly walked deeper into her room, sitting on her bed. She leaned forward, arms resting on her knees, head in her hands. Kirishima hesitated, still uneasy about his limited vision. He took a few cautious steps forward. '_I… where should I sit? I feel like she'd explode if I sat on the bed with her.'_ His eyes were slowly adjusting, and he was able to make out the outline of her desk chair on the other side of her room. He walked over, dragging the chair to be a few feet across from Midoriya. He sat in front of her, leaning forward as she was. '_The smell of blood…'_ He noted again. It was stronger now.

"Midoriya…" He couldn't think of anything else to say. '_I… she's in such bad shape. What about the training exercise made her react like this?'_

She stood up quickly as he spoke. He noticed her slump forward slightly, wincing at the sudden movement. "I'm… sorry this was a stupid idea."

'_She's going to ask me to leave again! I… quick say something!'_ "Midoriya… please." She stilled at his words. "I can't help you if you don't let me." He stood up and made a show of reaching towards her, doing his best to not surprise her. She leaned back slightly. But… his hand met her shoulder. He heard her breathing become more erratic. '_I… I'll take a risk. If she hates me then so be it. I need to try and help her, or I can't call myself a hero candidate.'_ He took a step closer, and in one fluid motion pulled her into a hug. One arm wrapped around her back, the other holding her head close.

He felt her instantly tense up, and she let out a quiet "eep". Kirishima wrenched his eyes shut, still unsure if he'd made a catastrophic mistake. They remained like this for a number of seconds. The only audible sound in the room was her sniffling. Her head only reached up to his shoulder. He wasn't sure how much time passed. But he slowly realized her small arms shakily wrapped around him at some point. Her sniffling got louder and more intense, until she was full on bawling into his shoulder.

All of Kirishima's senses went into overload. Having a crying girl in his arms… certainly awakened something in him. '_Protect.'_ So many other thoughts crossed his mind as he tried to decipher the situation he found himself in. '_I need to… find out what's wrong with her. She doesn't believe she can be a hero… yet she's so incredibly strong. Plus…'_ He glanced down at her crying form. '_I can't stand seeing anyone like this.'_ His mind was still a jumble, but he managed to focus himself briefly.

He slowly led them both towards her bed, arms still wrapped around each other. He paused, knees half bent in an effort to coax her to sit on the bed with him. Slowly but surely they'd settled down, but her top half wouldn't budge, still locked to him as she cried. He sat down first, while she ended up sitting half on top of his lap. He blustered slightly, embarrassed by their positions. She unconsciously moved her right leg, twisting her lower half to continue facing him as she fully sat across his lap now. His cheeks burned.

Kirishima simply remained like this, letting her release everything she wanted to as he awkwardly rubbed her back. He wasn't sure how much time had passed, but eventually her crying subsided. She quietly sniffled into his shoulder, resting her forehead on him. One thing still bugged him. '_I… why do I still smell blood? I figured it was just me being crazy. Is… is she okay?'_ An odd thought crossed his mind, and he flinched, catching her attention. '_There's… no way right? I've been around girls for my whole life. If they… smelled like blood once a month... I would notice. Right? This can't be that…'_ Kirishima's blush intensified, but his wandering thoughts were interrupted as he noticed her calming down.

Her breathing returned to a more normal state, but she still sniffled occasionally. His hand was still awkwardly moving up and down on her back. As time ticked on he became more and more aware of their positions. He'd… only ever had his little sister sit on his lap.

"Sorry… for your shirt." Was the first thing she said after regaining some composure. Her head was still resting against his shoulder, muffling her voice slightly.

'_My shirt? Oh… right. Crying. What do I say now? Ahhh this always seems so much easier in books!'_

Another silence descended upon the duo. This one felt different, however. A much more calming silence.

'_He's… very warm.'_

Kirishima's back was starting to tire. Sitting on the edge of her bed meant he didn't have anything to lean against. And Midoriya was leaning _into_ him. He had to keep his back straight or risk falling backwards. If that happened they'd… be in a much more compromising position.

'_Come on, Eijiro. Tough it out. No way can I ask her to move right now. I can handle this for longer. I think.'_ He shifted slightly, hoping to not disturb the green girl in his arms. '_I should say something to her though… she did just finish crying…'_

The silence was broken as her stomach rumbled. It was dinner time after all. "S-Sorry." she mumbled.

"You don't have to apologize. Would you… let me bring you some food? I figure you don't want to go downst-"

"I… that would be… nice." Izu interjected. She leaned back, no longer leaning on his shoulder. Kirishima removed his hands from around her as she did this. He sighed quietly, glad he no longer had to worry about falling backwards. She shifted slightly on his lap, then froze abruptly.

Her head was tilted downward, hiding her furious blush. '_I… WHAT AM I DOING?! Why am I sitting on him!? Why is he... allowing this!'_ She practically jumped up off of him in an instant, aggravating her stomach in the process. She winced, bending over slightly. She still hadn't had a chance to address her earlier actions. Kirishima followed suit, standing up rather awkwardly and rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well… I'm going to go grab some basic stuff to eat from my room, okay? I'll knock on your door again in a few minutes…" He explained. An unspoken 'please don't ignore my knock' reverberated throughout the room. He hadn't said it, but he hoped she picked up on his meaning.

She made a small noise of acknowledgement, nodding slightly. She walked towards the bathroom and closed the door behind her without another word. Now alone, Kirishima took a moment to look around her room. His eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and he could see much clearer now. '_I shouldn't snoop, but I have so many questions… Not just about her but also what I sensed earlier… when I walked in.'_

He had no idea how long she would be in the bathroom for, so he did a five second walk around. A pile of sheets in a corner aroused some suspicion. He leaned down slightly. '_They smell like she does… blood.'_ Decided he'd lingered too long, he went over to his room to grab some ready-to-eat dinner.

* * *

Izu stripped out of the clothes she'd thrown on lightning fast. '_I need to shower quickly… and probably wrap a bandage or something. The bleeding has mostly stopped… but if I keep moving excessively that could change.' _She jumped into the shower after ensuring the water pressure was slightly lower than usual.

Muscle memory took over as she showered, allowing her mind to wander. '_Why is he… going so far out of his way to help me? More importantly, why am I going along with this? Why… did I let him get so close? How do I want to handle… him? He's supposed to be coming back soon. I… for his sake I shouldn't let him get… too close. I don't want to bring down more of my classmates than I already have.'_ She let out a dejected sigh. Turning off the water, she stepped out of the shower and looked at herself in the mirror, still dripping wet.

Her fingers traced along the aftermath of her recent… fit. They'd stop bleeding by now, but their length was alarming. '_I was stupid. This is in a really bad spot. These will definitely form a noticeable scar on my stomach…'_ She glanced down at her thighs, which were dotted with dozens of smaller straight scars, much more organized and easy to deal with. '_These are… easy to hide with the longer underwear I use. What am I going to do about changing in the locker room… other girls will notice…'_

She shivered, as she'd still yet to dry herself off. She grabbed a towel and started the simple task. She got halfway through drying her hair when a knock came on her front door. She panicked. '_Crap. I haven't gotten a chance to fully clean my room still… and I still have to finish drying myself.'_ Her eyes widened as she realized another problem. '_And I don't have a change of clothes with me in the bathroom!'_

Izu wrapped the towel around herself and hurriedly stepped out of the bathroom, moving towards her dresser, dripping water on the floor all the while. She called out to Kirishima. "One second, please!" She wasn't able to pick up on his response, but heard some shuffling from the other side of the door. She dug through her dresser and grabbed some stuff to put on, barely giving it a second thought.

All dressed, she glanced around the room. Hey eyes landed on the bundle of sheets in the corner of her room. The box of razors was still hidden under it. She bit her lip in indecision, debating on the quickest way to deal with the problem. She elected to scoop the entire heap up and push it out onto the balcony. It wasn't too windy today, so she hoped it wouldn't be a problem.

Her hair was still wet, it annoyingly clung to her shoulders and neck, getting her shirt wet as well. She reached for a hairband on her desk and quickly wrapped her hair up, hoping to casually dry it after letting Kirishima in. Izu closed her eyes and took a deep breath, a meek attempt to calm herself after the chaotic day. At least food was promised.

She threw her towel on the floor and moved it with her feet to mop up all the water, as she walked towards the door. Finally, she threw the towel into her bathroom laundry hamper and turned to face the door. She waited for a moment, simply listening. She reached for the door handle slowly and opened it. She peered through the crack and saw a familiar redhead looking back. In his hand he had a plastic bag filled with food(?) she assumed.

"Hi-." was all he said, looking at her through the crack of the door. As she opened the door wider he asked "Can I come in?" The green girl simply nodded instead of voicing a reply, as she turned back into her room. To his surprise, she went over to her desk and turned on the small lamp. No doubt so he would feel more comfortable. She then moved to the far end of her chabudai (each room came with one) while Kirishima mirrored her, kneeling to take a seat across from her.

"I hope you don't mind leftovers. I had pork yesterday." Kirishima said as he began unloading each item from his bag. He didn't miss the way her eyes perked up as 'pork' left his mouth. A small smile crept onto his face. He passed her a small paper plate as he moved a tin of pork to the center of the small table, alongside some rice. Nothing fancy.

"T-Thank you. For the food, I mean." She bowed her head. A moment went by, before she looked up and waved a hand in the air frantically. "I-I-I mean I'm thankful for everything, but you know? Right now I meant to thank you for the food. Of course I-"

He cut her off. "No need. It's a pleasure to share food with someone." He smiled at her as he dug in. Izu paused, unsure how to take his reply. Her stomach acted for her though, after seeing him begin eating. She followed suit, and they ate in comfortable silence for some time.

'_I-… isn't he going to ask about what happened earlier? Why I was crying?'_ She wasn't sure how to feel about him simply coming in and eating with her after what just happened. She still hasn't gotten over the embarrassment of sitting on his lap of all things. Let alone crying into his shoulder. '_I guess… I'm actually glad he isn't prying. It gives me a chance to think through all of this. What just happened and… how I feel.'_

"So… do you have any plans for this weekend, Midoriya?" He asked as they neared the end of their meal. She coughed on her mouthful of food, sputtering as she tried to calm her surprise. The redhead quickly continued. "I was wondering cuz… me and Bakugo reserved a gym room for Quirk training and sparring tomorrow. Do you want to join us? I find it really helps me take my mind off everything and relax. Ya know?"

Izu regained her composure, replying "Uh. What kind of... Quirk training?" She was still focused on the food in front of her, despite having finished eating.

"Well me and Bakugo have been talking about what kind of Quirk training we'll eventually be doing here at UA. We figured that they'd have a hard time teaching technique and fighting styles because of how much those vary from person to person. UA, with all their knowledge of Quirks, probably knows how we can increase our limits or output. We were going to focus on what UA likely can't teach us. What do you think?"

'_Well… it makes sense. Plus it wasn't… so bad last time. Doing Quirk training with others sounds potentially dangerous, though.'_ Her mind drifted to images of Bakugo's explosions. She shivered slightly before looking up at the redhead. "C-Couldn't that be dangerous?"

He smirked. "Could it? Definitely. It wouldn't be fun training without a little danger, right?" She didn't know how to respond to that. She just shrugged in response. Kirishima continued, asking "So you'll come?" He leaned forward slightly, eyebrows raised while wearing an expectant smile.

She fidgeted as she sat, still unsure what she wanted to do. "Uh. What… time?" She probed.

He didn't miss a beat. "12 to 3pm is when we have a room reserved."

She cocked her head to one side, shrugging her shoulders. "O-Okay?"

Immediately Kirishima's face lit up. "Great! I'm sure Bakugo will be glad. Meet us on the first floor at 11:45, sound good?" She gave a nervous nod in reply. "Cool. You wont regret this, Midoriya." He began to clean up the food they'd eaten, shoving plates and tins in the plastic bag he'd brought.

With everything cleaned up, the two teens sat at the small table facing one another. Each waiting for the other to say something. Izu wrung her hands with nervous energy, unsure whether the current silence was a good one or not. Eventually, Kirishima spoke. "Midoriya… I know you had a rough day today, and I want to help you. But… I also know that letting people work through things on their own is important. I've… always been told that the best way to overcome a problem is to come up with my own solution." He paused, looking up at her. She gave a small, almost imperceptible nod at what he said.

He continued, "So… I don't want to pry. But, I'm always here if you ever want to talk. I'm always willing to lend an ear." He flashed the green girl a smile. So genuine and pure, it almost hurt to look at.

Her eyes watered slightly. She brought her wrist up to wipe them. She managed to keep her voice surprisingly stable as she spoke. "Thank you, Kirishima. I… I don't know… I can't promise future me will listen to reason. But here and now? Thank you, for what you've done. Even if you don't realize… what you did." She blushed and looked down at her lap.

Kirishima's eyes blazed with renewed determination. He stood up fully and gave a slight bow in the green girls direction, one arm crossing his chest. "That's what friends are for. Helping even when we don't realize it! You can count on me, Midoriya! I know you'd do the same for me." He shot her a thumbs up. He was positively beaming with confidence and optimism. The redhead pulled out his phone and glanced at the time. "Well, I should probably get going. I have some small things I need to take care of in the morning tomorrow. I'll see you downstairs at 11:45, Midoriya. I'm gonna check in for tonight."

"O-Okay yeah. Have a… good one-" Her head was still pointed downwards, and her last word was especially quiet. "-kirishima…" His ears perked up as he swore he heard his name.

"You too!" He opened her door, plastic bag in hand, and headed out.

Izu's hands rested in her lap, unmoving. She stared at them, flexing them open and closed repeatedly. "Friends…" She questioned. "Is that what we are, now?"

* * *

Authors Note:

Shorter chapter. I already have 4k-ish words of the next chapter written. I was going to combine them into one bigger chapter, but this felt like a good stopping point.

Please leave feedback or suggestions!

Also, I plan to rewrite the first chapter. It feels like a weak start. Definitely my least favorite chapter so far.

~Till next time!


	9. Practice

Kirishima was in a rut. It was 2am at this point and he was still awake. Endlessly smashing the punching bag he'd hung in his room. It was a custom made bag, provided by the support course for him. Instead of sand, it was filled with small crush-proof glass beads. This massively increased the weight and density of the bag, meaning he could punch it with hardened fists and actually feel feedback.

He bent his knees and swayed back and forth, hopping slightly while shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Arms hardened, he unleashed a flurry of blows on the bag, each connecting with a satisfying 'Wumph'. Pivoting on his right foot and rearing his left arm back, he swung his whole body forward for a devastating gut punch to the bag. It swung far back, nearly touching the ceiling it was chained to.

The redhead let out a tired sigh as he looked at his still hardened hands… just as the huge punching bag swung back into him. He let out a surprised "Ooomph" as the bag socked him in the chest, sending him stumbling backwards. Catching himself at the last moment, he reached out a hand to reign in the swinging bag. As the surprise slowly left him, he unhardened his hands. He experimented briefly with activating and deactivating his Quirk on his arms, frowning as his stopped.

'_I do this everyday but I never feel like I'm making any progress with my hardening. Sure my fists feel stronger and… maybe a bit harder. But what can I actually do to keep pace with the others? How can I improve my technique or create moves if all I can do is harden? I feel… inferior.'_

Kirishima reached up to rub his face in frustration. He stood up straight, fists resting on his hips as he looked around his room. '_What could I do differently, on my own, to improve my training…'_ He yawned as his eyes crossed over his bed. It looked so inviting. He rubbed his eyes for a second time, finally conceding to his exhaustion. '_Fine. I'll go to bed. But I'm not happy about it! And tomorrow I'll have the chance to ask Bakugo and Midoriya. Maybe one of them can give me some insight.'_ He flipped off his room. Feeling satisfied, he disappeared into the bathroom.

**15 Minutes Later…**

Kirishima lay in bed staring at his ceiling, completely lost in thought. Now that he'd finally calmed down for the day, Midoriya's words echoed in his head. 'What kind of hero does what I do?' He repeated. '_What did she mean by that? She's blaming herself for… being too strong? Why... is she ashamed of her strength? She doesn't seem the least bit feckless. She takes combat exercises very seriously. So what could've happened to her to make her feel this way about her strength? I wonder… should I ask Todoroki? Does he also have a complex like this? He's also a recommended student…'_

He finally closed his eyes. '_On second thought… Todoroki seems a little too aloof for him to admit to such feelings. On top of the fact that I barely know him.' _He yawned, feeling his exhaustion slowly take over. '_I wonder what tomorrow will be like. Quirk sparring. I'm a bit worried. Bakugo and her both have me heavily outclassed in terms of… well. Everything, if I'm honest. But Midoriya... she's… flipped a switch before. She became like a different person for some amount of time. It also happened during the team battles today… or yesterday. Whatever. She looked so sad earlier. And the blood smell. What the heck was that about?'_ His eyebrows creased downwards in a frown.

'_I promise, Midoriya, I'll help you through this. Bakugo sees it too. That you seem to be ashamed of your potential. UA has no doubt noticed as well, but there are limits to what a School can offer a student in terms of support. But friends can push each others limits. Break barriers. Have fights. Offer support. Be emotional. Find… unorthodox solutions. You need that, I can tell. So the first thing I need to do, is make you see me as a friend.'_ He grimaced at his last thought.

'_No, idiot. Don't phrase it like that. That sounds… like I have bad intentions. Of course I want to be her friend for more than just that. I want to be everyone's friend!' _There was a lingering doubt in his mind. '_I'm so caught up on Midoriya. Is… is it because she's the first other student I encountered at UA? Because I feel sorry for her? Pity her? Most people don't like pity. I mean… I want to see what she'll become. I want to see her reach her full potential. But I want that for everyone, right? Whats… drawing me to her? Why is it Izu Midoriya I'm thinking about... like this, specifically? I mean... she is cute.'_

He groaned, unable to form a coherent answer to his objectively simple question. '_Maybe Bakugo will have an answer.'_

* * *

Kirishima and Bakugo stood in the lounge area on the first floor, near the entrance. Other students were scattered around in small groups, chattering away about who knows what. They'd exchanged basic greetings after Kirishima arrived (Bakugo always made sure to arrive first), but now they stood in silence. Kirishima shifted from foot to foot, unsure how to phrase the question on his mind. Bakugo eyed his friend with a slight scowl.

"What's got you all bothered?" Bakugo pointed his head towards the redhead.

"I uh… was thinking yesterday. About Midoriya." He was hesitant to admit something that could be so easily misinterpreted, but Bakugo didn't seem like one to gossip.

The blondes expression shifted to one of complete surprise, both eyebrows raised high. That clearly wasn't what he was expecting Kirishima to say. He let out a low chuckle, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Out of all the girls here..."

"Wait, I think-"

"Well she is strong, so you've good taste in that sense."

"Bakugo I didn't mean it like that…"

"I've seen the way you've looked at her. You're not exactly subtle. Plus-" Kirishima elbowed him, nodding towards the elevator. Due to their positions, Kirishima spotted her first. He nudged Bakugo, hoping to shut him up and change the subject. The redhead shot a hand up and waved at her. Right off the bat she was wringing her hands together. The green girl radiated an aura of nervousness. She showed some reluctance in her steps when walking over, but arrived next to the two males nonetheless. Bakugo unabashedly eyed Midoriya up and down as she walked over, making her squirm.

'_She's wearing better clothes this time. Good. And… she's a little too under developed for me. You're weird, Kirishima.'_ Her clothes were indeed better than last session. Black tank-top, a longer pair of shorts, and her hair was already tied back. Her face was clearly visible, neither male had noticed before but…

'_She has freckles? Huh, I didn't notice last time.'_ Kirishima noted.

She had a small bag with her, Bakugo saw. '_And she's slouching slightly…'_ As she arrived in front of them, Bakugo spoke. "You're here. Good, let's go." He didn't wait for a reply; He immediately turned towards the front entrance and began walking at a brisk pace. Kirishima lagged behind slightly, giving her a reassuring smile as he motioned to follow Bakugo.

Bakugo would never say it to anyone, but he'd been looking forward to sparring against Midoriya with Quirks for over a week now. '_She is the strongest student in our class, there's no doubt in my mind about that. She easily defeated the dichromatic guy, and HE has demonstrated strength to overwhelm many members of our class instantly.'_ Bakugo chuffed as the trio walked, not liking where his thoughts were going. '_As much as I hate to admit it, I need to practice against her if I'm ever going to shoot for the top spot. I need to be able to compete with a Quirk like hers. I can't have any counters. Can't be weak. I... can't be the number one hero and surpass All Might if I can't overcome this girl first.'_

Still looking forward, the blonde asked the two behind him "So what do you two need to practice? Quirk, fighting style, or some other third thing?"

Kirishima had a sheepish look on his face, sighing as he replied. "Yeah… about that. I was hoping to get your guys' opinions on what I can improve on. I think I'm an alright fighter, and could certainly benefit by improving my fighting skills. But my Quirk is very straight forward, so I'm struggling to see how I can meaningfully improve it. Like… what would a super-move for me even look like?"

Bakugo grunted. "We'll see when we get there." He waited a moment to see if Midoriya would respond. The seconds ticked by, and eventually his impatience got the better of him. "Green. What about you?"

The lump in her throat was preventing her from responding. '_I… mine doesn't sound like a real… issue in that sense. What will they think? Will they think I'm just showing off or…'_

Bakugo spoke again, snapping her out of her entrapping thoughts. "Well? Don't think you have anything you need to improve on?"

That elicited a quick retort. "No! No. I… I know I need to improve on… lots of stuff. I think my major issue right now is…" She paused. The surprise of Bakugo's accusation allowed her some temporary clarity. "Uhh. Either hand to hand combat or…" She hesitated on the second part. "This… might sound dumb. But when I… move around at higher power levels. The wind can… have negative effects on those around me, or fragile environments." She lowered her head, not wanting to see their reactions to something so silly sounding.

"Hmm." Was the first thing Bakugo said. "You're right. The wind was no joke during your ball throw on the first day. That's a serious limitation to have, it's definitely one you need to overcome if you're going to use higher extents of your power. Hand to hand combat can be slightly forgiven due to your strength and speed, but the aftereffects of your movement can be a serious downside."

Her eyes lit up with surprise. '_He understood? Agreed?'_ She was distracted, still reeling over Bakguo's words that she almost missed what Kirishima added.

"Your Quirk seems real similar to All Mights, Midoriya." Kirishima added. Izu tensed up at this suggestion, thankfully both her classmates were facing forwards. "Have you ever asked him how he moves around with such strength and speed without causing aftershocks?"

'_That's… a good point. I haven't asked All Might about that.'_ Kirishima made a… remarkably good suggestion. '_I'll definitely ask All Might about that next time I see him.' _She needed to deflect slightly. "I… always just assumed it was a byproduct of his Quirk."

Kirishima shrugged. "Well it's worth an ask, I'd reckon."

"Mmm." Was her simple reply.

"What about you, Bakugo? What do you think you need to improve on?" Kirishima probed.

The blonde was quiet for a moment. Crossing his arms, he answered. "I need to work on regulating the strength of my explosions. I have some strong moves already created, but I could never use them on a person, _yet_. I'd risk killing or seriously injuring them, unless they have some defence oriented Quirk. I'm also trying to condense explosions and aim them, but I'm far off and away from that. Plus there are more pressing things to focus on at the moment."

Kirishima blinked in surprise. "Damn okay. Wasn't expecting that honest of an answer. Showing some weakness now Bakugo, are we?" He smirked.

"Can it, moron. You've seen what the Dichromatic dude-"

"Todoroki." Kirishima interjected.

"-Yeah whatever. You've seen what he can do. That's not even scratching what Green is capable of." He pointed a thumb backwards at Midoriya. "If I want to compete I can't water down my self criticism. I need to be serious about improving if I want to keep pace with the top of UA."

Kirishima made a noise of agreement. Inside he was… worried. '_Not only do they have superior Quirks… they're both so driven. Midoriya's got a lot going on, but she's still focused on improving herself despite already being so strong. I feel like even on my best days I don't put as much effort into training as she does.'_ He frowned, tilting his head slightly as he continued to think. '_And well… the only thing ever on Bakugo's mind is 'getting stronger'. I feel like I can't compete in drive or power…'_ The redhead slumped his shoulders as he searched for some reason to validate himself.

Izu also hadn't been expecting the blonde to answer in such a candid manner. '_I'd pegged him as a hothead who thinks himself the strongest…'_ She watched the blonde in front of her walk. His shoulders were tensed, head angled slightly down. '_I wasn't expecting him to be so humble about what he needs to improve on. But…'_ She thought carefully about what she wanted to say. Finally deciding, she asked "Aren't you exaggerating, Bakugo? I… don't think I'm as far ahead as you say I am. I have lots to work on."

"Cut the bullshit, Green." He replied quickly, his tone scathing. He was quite angry. "I don't know what you haven't realized yet, but you're clearly the strongest student in the class by a mile. Everyones got their eyes on you. You're the person to beat, and you set the bar for our class. Start acting like it, if you truly want the rest of us to improve." He shoved his hands in his pockets, the tension slowly leaving his shoulders. His voice was quiet now, laced with many different emotions. "You claim to have lots to improve on. Good. We all do. That's why we're here. For the benefit of us all, you need to stop half-assing stuff. Take yourself seriously."

She kept her mouth shut as she processed everything Bakugo said. '_That… was a compliment. Right?'_ She repeated it in her head a few more times. '_Take myself seriously…'_ Izu brought her fists up in front of her, briefly channeling One For All and observing the green electricity dance around her hands. Kirishima stealthily peeked backwards, catching a glimpse of her actions. '_What Kirishima said yesterday… what I learned and experienced… and what Bakugo said just now… I… I agree. But…'_ She clenched her first tight, the electricity dissapaiting slowly. '_Why does it feel so difficult to believe in their words? Why is it that part of me can acknowledge it as true, but still not... believe it?'_

"Actions speak louder than words, Green." Came an unexpected… reassurance(?) from Bakugo. "I'm sure you know this."

'_Actions… speak louder than words.'_ She'd heard this saying before. But… hearing it again now recontextualized what the saying truly meant to her. '_Actions…'_

"My name is Midoriya." Was all she could think to say in reply.

"I know." He said smugly. Despite facing away, she could tell he wore a smirk. Kirishima chuckled off to the side, as if to confirm her suspicion.

* * *

The trio had finished their own routines of stretches and had gathered in the center of the training room. This room was a good deal smaller than the one their first training exercise had taken place in, but it was more than enough space for three people. The walls were lined with thick padding, and the floor was ever so slightly rubberized. There was also a small section in the corner of the room that had padded floors as well.

Izu discreetly rubbed her stomach, feeling over the bandage she'd applied when getting ready for the day. '_I'll need to avoid any hits to the stomach.'_ She glanced at Bakugo and Kirishima, watching them ready themselves for the coming matches. '_I don't think… that should be that hard?'_ She mentally slapped herself, shaking her head in an attempt to clear her head. '_No. Overconfidence is bad. Just… focus on avoiding blows to the stomach. Treat this as real practice. Be serious. Take myself… seriously.'_ She wore a puzzled look, not quite knowing how to accomplish Bakugo's advice.

Izu shuffled, awkwardly waiting for something to start happening. '_Do… do we just start fighting after deciding matches?'_ She turned towards Kirishima. He had his eyes shut and was breathing deeply. '_No. No, that can't be right, dummy.'_ Bakugo was facing away, but seemed to be wrapping up his routine.

The blonde answered her unasked question. "Here's what we're gonna do. I figure some basic one versus ones will help us see what we all need. Then we can go from there with specific practice exercises." Izu and Kirishima nodded in response. Bakugo turned towards Midoriya, pointing a finger at her. "You and me first, Green."

She shrunk backwards under the gaze of his accusatory finger, but quickly regained her composure as the promise of a fight washed over her. She closed her eyes and focused on her beathing. The air surrounding her changed slowly. Kirishima took his leave from the area, but continued to watch Midoriya the entire time, picking up on the subtle changes she showed so clearly. Bakugo's eyes were locked onto her as well.

She stood up a little straighter. Held her head a little higher. The tension left her shoulders, and her breathing became more controlled. She opened her eyes and focused on the blonde in front of her. Bakugo was grinning like a mad man. '_There she is. The one that doesn't fuck around!'_ Bakugo's hype was building, and it all came to a head as Kirishima yelled out:

"Fight till ya drop!"

Midoriya activated her Full-Cowling at 10% to start with. First and foremost, she wanted to she how Bakugo would fair against her speed and power at this level. He was above and beyond Todoroki in terms of mobility, and had comparable firepower. '_Based on my observations during this week of classes, they seem to have the best combat-sense of all the students. I was able to avoid most of Todoroki's indoor attacks with ten percent.'_ If she needed to use more, she would. But even in her focused state, she knew neither of them would gain anything if she ended the fight immediately with a higher percentage.

Izu continued to recount her notes in the moment, trying to make sure she didn't miss any important facet of the blondes power. '_He is capable of rudimentary flying. He demonstrated that during our basic rescue exercises this week. He can do both big and small explosions to alter his movement… and… I think that's all. He's just really good at using it. I think. Oh and...'_ She scanned his form from top to bottom, pausing slightly on his arms. They were wearing nearly identical outfits she noticed. Black tank-top with black shorts. '_He's… certainly very fit. I don't want to underestimate his strength, physically or Quirk-based.'_

Bakugo noted the green electric aura surrounding the girl, the telltale mark of her power. Throwing caution to the wind, he whipped both arms out behind himself, his palms exploding outwards to propel himself forwards. Kirishima's eyes widened at the impressive display of speed from the young blonde, nodding in approval. Bakugo closed the distance with frightening speed. He pushed off the ground midway through his flight with his right foot, setting him up to grapple Midoriya's right arm.

This fight was different from her previous UA encounters. Restricting herself to 10% for as long as possible meant she had to be cautious about taking a potential attack. Other students in the class have already demonstrated speed that could catch her off guard even at 15%. Her mind blinked back to Shoji's punch and Tokoyami's Dark Shadow. Both very fast in their own rights. '_Not to say I wasn't taking the last fights seriously… but can I even avoid attacks like that at just 10%? It sure felt like I was trying to dodge...'_

Midoriya quickly side stepped to her left to avoid Bakugo's grapple attempt. She turned her head to watch him fly by, when she felt the heat of an explosion near her. He'd let out multiple small blasts from his left hand, curving his trajectory ever so slightly. He grabbed her wrist, using his momentum to swing her backwards. Bakugo skidded to a stop, quickly reentering a prepared stance as he turned to observe his opponents landing.

She'd recovered from the throw quite well, twisting herself mid air to land on the ground flawlessly. She stood up, her eyes meeting her opponents. "Remember, Green, you have to attack to win!" The blonde taunted. He launched himself forward again, angled higher this time so he would soar over her.

As he lurched towards her, Midoriya dashed forward to hopefully catch him from underneath where he couldn't easily launch explosions. Doing so would propel him further into the air, and give her the opportunity to set up an attack where he would land.

Bakugo chuffed as he watched her sprint towards him. '_This isn't her maximum speed… but this is definitely more beneficial to us both at the moment. Her decision to advance on me was smart. Can't let her get under me… good move, Green.'_ With Midoriya nearly under him, he released a larger explosion to his right, sending him flying a good 15 feet away. As he flew and prepared to land, Izu saw her opportunity. She stretched out her left arm, grabbing her wrist with her other hand to act as a brace, and tensed her hand for a flick.

At 10% the air blasts she could create wouldn't do any damage, but if hit they could certainly throw someone off balance. Especially an airborne target. She took a moment to aim, then her finger exploded forwards. A barely visible projectile sped towards Bakugo. He could tell she'd done something, but with next no visual queue he had no hope of dodging. The blast struck his leg, changing his form ever so slightly. He landed with both feet on the ground, wincing as his weight pressed on his ankle in an odd way. His momentum carried him backwards, causing him to stumble over his own feet, falling onto his rear.

She gave him no time to strategize. Izu full sprinted towards him, covering the distance between them before Bakugo could stand. He was ready, however; From his sitting position, he spun his torso around and kicked off the ground. Izu was forced to stop and lean backwards to avoid a kick to the chin. Bakugo transitioned his move into a handstand, both his palms exploded against the ground, shooting him upwards again.

This time it was Midoriya who grabbed his wrist. Bakugo grimaced in pain. '_Her grip is like iron. The momentum from my explosions just now is still forcing me upwards. This is bad.'_ Bakugo had no purchase on anything to move around, and his palms were still facing downwards. In a bit of a panic, he cupped his hands to face Midoriya and release two smaller explosions. Instantly the upper half of her body was covered in a small cloud of smoke. She coughed, and he felt her grip loosen.

He yanked his arm free and continued to fly upwards from his earlier momentum. He saw the girl was still sputtering from the cloud of smoke he'd created. He took the brief moment of pause to land a good distance away. He glanced at his wrist. It ached and he could see the imprint of her hand. It would certainly bruise. He scowled at the obvious injury. He refocused on the now dissipating cloud of smoke surrounding Midoriya, debating what his next actions should be.

He had no time to plan as the cloud vanished almost instantly. She'd swiped her arm through it and was now running towards him again. '_She's too quick… I have no time to set up any combo attacks on her…'_ Bakugo's usual strategy of combo explosions that led into each other had served him well versus nearly all opponents he'd faced thus far. But… even with his lightning fast reactions he could barely keep up with the girl.

She'd arrived in range of him. Caught thinking, Bakugo barely managed to bring his arms up to guard. Sensing her intent, he leaned forward and bent his knees, bracing himself as best he could. Her palm strike hit the flat of his arms full force. Instead of knocking him over like Izu expected, he slid backwards a good three feet. The blonde wore a satisfied expression, happy he was able to counter an otherwise fight-ending attack.

With his palms already in position, he exploded forwards. The short distance between them was closed instantly. He swung an arm out to clothesline her, but the girls short stature allowed her to duck under it. He touched down almost directly behind her. Dropping to the ground, he spun around in a manner similar to breakdancing. He'd expected to kick Midoriya's legs out from under her, and panicked when he felt his strike find nothing.

He looked over his shoulder and was unable to mask the surprise on his face. She'd jumped back and spun to face him. She was rearing back for a punch. His eyes widened. Still on the ground, Bakugo extended a hand to catch her blow. Her fist flew forward, connecting with his waiting hand. The force of the blow reverberated through him, knocking his head against the ground. Pain shot through his arm. He could tell when he was fighting a losing battle.

Due to her making a fist, he was able to grip her hand. He twisted it hard, forcing her to bend her elbow. Surprise flashed across her face. Time seemed to slow as gravity slowly brought her down towards him. Bracing himself against the ground with his free arm, he shot his knee up to hit her in the stomach. He was sure his blow would connect at this distance, even with the speed she'd demonstrated thus far.

A moment passed but… his blow never connected. His eyes shot down for a brief moment. She was holding his knee with her free hand. '_When… when did she!?'_ Their eyes met briefly, his were wide open in shock, while hers blazed with green electricity that appeared to mimic fire. She pushed off his knee and arm, landing some feet away.

"I give." He said quickly, wanting to avoid further injuries so he could keep sparring. Ropes of pain still shot through his arm occasionally. It ached bad from catching her punch. She bowed in his direction. Her face now looked… frustrated? '_What gives, Green? It was a good fight. Kind of quick, but that's to be expected. Despite the loss, I think I learned something important.'_ Bakugo smirked as his mind raced in an attempt to apply this new lesson. He remained sitting as Kirishima walked over.

'_I ended up having to use 15% to catch his knee strike… That blow would've landed otherwise.'_ She glanced down at her abdomen. She chastised herself for continuing to get caught off guard, and almost taking a hit to the stomach because of it. '_Am I continually underestimating people? I… it doesn't feel like that. It's not like I didn't imagine he could or would knee me there... I've been observing and taking notes on my classmates this entire week, but I'm still having issues in combat.'_ She wasn't quite sure what her issue was. And that was more frustrating than anything. She was fast and strong. She had impeccable strategy, and fast reactions. Why was she always getting surprised by things she knew to look out for?

Kirishima arrived next to the duo, wearing a large smile on his face. "That was super impressive, you two!" He shot each classmate a thumbs up.

"Yeah." Was Bakugo's one word answer.

Izu brought her hands up to her chest and began to rub her wrists, not knowing what came next. Thankfully she didn't have to wait long. Kirishima spoke again, "Well who wants to go a round with me first? Then the other can go after so we've all fought twice." He shifted his gaze between them continuously. Bakugo finally stood up and rolled his shoulder that caught Midoriya's punch, flexing it all the while.

"Green should go. I need a moment to rest my arm." He begrudgingly said while looking at her for confirmation.

She nodded at Kirishima. "Y-Yeah I can go again." Bakugo walked over to the far wall where Kirishima sat previously, muttering to himself all the while. Midoriya and Kirishima faced each other. Kirishima wore a confident smirk, but inside he was at a loss.

'_No idea how I'm going to fight against her. I can't hold a candle to Bakugo's mobility or speed, and Midoriya overshadowed him in both.'_ He looked down at his hands, clenching them into fists. '_Won't know if I don't try though. This is a good opportunity. Plus… if I fail hard then only these two will know…' _He breathed in deeply, eyes closed to calm himself. As he exhaled he locked eyes with his opponent. He nodded at her. she returned the gesture. The redhead turned to to look at the blonde with an expectant look on his face.

"Oh. Start already. Go." Bakugo said with a roll of his eyes.

Kirishima shrugged his shoulders, focusing on the girl in front of him. '_I should let her make the first move. It's pointless for me to chase after her, I'll just tire myself out. If she comes to me, I can try to setup a counter attack.'_ He nodded to himself as he slowly morphed into a basic fighting stance. Midoriya walked a wide circle around him, watching his form closely for any sign of movement. '_No electricity yet…'_ Kirishima noted.

He turned to keep facing her as she circled him, trying to mask his plan as best he could, as his mind raced in an attempt to decipher her gameplan. '_Think, Eijiro. What will she do against you. What are your weaknesses? What will she notice? How will you counter it?! Think!'_

Deciding now was the time, Izu channeled a 10% Full-Cowling and pushed off the ground, leaping towards Kirishima. Expecting a frontal attack, he threw his arms up in a cross and hardened them both. Her blow connected with his hardened arms, the force of her punch making him to lean back. He kept his face neutral, but inside he was worried. '_That was just her first attack. A simple punch that I blocked with both my hardened arms. I… I felt that punch reverberate throughout my entire body. Fast and powerful.'_ A small bead of sweat formed on the side of his head.

Leaning down to protect his chest, the redhead threw out a right hook, fully expecting her to retreat back to dodge. She caught the full force of his blow with one hand, gripping his hardened wrist. Not wanting to get thrown, he immediately followed up with and uppercut. This got her to back off, she released his wrist as she jumped a few feet backwards.

In a split second decision, he decided to follow after her. Pushing off the ground with as much force as he could muster, he banked on catching her off guard. Unfortunately for Kirishima, his approach didn't go unnoticed. Midoriya took two quick steps forward and met his approach head on. Her hands gripped his, and they were locked in a brief battle of strength. Her expression displayed the fierce determination coursing through her. She learned forward while increasing her hold on his hands. She leaned forward, pushing Kirishima backwards. '_She's like a brick wall!'_ They struggled for a moment as the redhead fought back to the best of his ability.

Both students faces contorted with willpower and anger as they tried to make the other submit. Forced to take yet another step back, Kirishima knew he had to be the one to break this mini-battle they'd entered. He wasn't winning. Although not explicitly stated, all three of them had assumed being forced out of the lines marking the gymnasium floor would be considered a loss, and he was nearing the edge.

Kirishima stealthily hardened his foot, raising it and stomping down on Midoriya's. He spared a glance at her, slightly worried she'd be angry with his rather underhanded move. Her expression hadn't changed. In fact, she gave no indication that she'd even felt his stomp. She pressed onwards, and he was no match now that he'd compromised his footing. The back of his heel caught against the floor, and he fell backwards. Midoriya opened her hands wide and gave one final shove to cement his collapse.

The redhead hardened his back for a moment to prevent any possibility of getting winded by the fall. Colliding with the ground, he needed a moment to refocus and gather his bearings to continue the fight. He saw her approaching, and knew he was in a pinch. Not seeing any other option, he quickly hardened his entire body. Midoriya's follow up came only a split second after. He'd hardened just in time.

Off on the sidelines, Bakugo took note how… 'samey' her attacks were. Despite knocking him and Kirishima over differently, her follow up was the same. She reared her arm back, and brought it down on his abdomen. She grimaced slightly as pain shot through her hand. At 10% a punch against a solid object, like Kirishima's hardening, was still risky. The redhead received significantly more damage from the exchange, fortunately.

He leaned forward, his expression nothing but pain as he brought his arms up in a cross to protect himself further. His mind raced. '_That hit felt like a cannon blast. I need to stand up or I'll take more blows! I need to stop hardening my entire body right after I'm out of this and have some breathing room. I can't exhaust my Quirk too quickly if I want to compete in a drawn out fight. I… I… need to-'_ He cut himself off as he realized no further attacks were coming. He looked up at Midoriya in confusion, slightly relaxing his Quirk as he did so.

She was standing in front of him with a concerned expression, wringing her hands all the while. She spoke, sounding just as concerned as she looked. "A-Are you okay? Can you… continue?" A small hand extended forward to help him up. Kirishima looked at the hand like it was some alien offering. Still trying to register her intentions, his hardening subconsciously dissipated.

"Y-Yeah." He shook his head to clear his thoughts. "Yes. We should continue." She retracted her hand awkwardly, still unsure of the whole situation. He stood up and dusted himself off, wincing slightly as his stomach complained. '_She really does pack some serious power.'_ He spared a quick glance at Bakugo. He sat arms crossed, back straight, laser focused on the fight in front of him. His expression was unreadable from this distance. Kirishima sighed, then turned to Midoriya. "Sorry for the pause." He took a few steps backwards, until they were at a similar distance to when they first started. "This distance good to start again?" She still looked worried, but gave a small nod in response.

He returned the nod. In the few seconds before they began again, he tried to formulate a more concrete strategy, based on findings from their fight. '_I was right. Can't compete in strength or speed. So I need to win by submission or by getting her out of bounds. I could try and grapple her? Set up an arm bar or some kind of lock.'_ Highlights of (no Quirk usage) MMA fights flashed through Kirishima's mind. He'd spent far too much time studying various forms and techniques. '_Time to try and put some into practice. Against an opponent who is faster… and stronger. No! Stop focusing on that. Focus on my advantages. My plan to win. I have a reach advantage, and can resist the blowback from her strikes unlike Bakugo.'_ He tried to think of other concrete advantages he had, but most felt like he was reaching.

Their eyes met. A quick nonverbal agreement was exchanged between the two. The second round(?) had begun.

Knowing she held first strike advantage, Izu sprinted at the redhead, ready for whatever he could dish out. Kirishima dropped into his stance, ready to accept a head-on strike. He cupped his hands, wanting to absorb the impact from her attack entirely, in order to immediately follow up with a strike of his own. Midoriya planted her feet just in arms reach, using her running start to shoot her arm forward.

Kirishima braced himself, hardening his arms at the last possible moment to catch her fist in his palms. His shoes slid slightly on the rubberized ground, but he remained in place for the most part. Midoriya threw a follow up strike with her other hand, but Kirishima leaned into it, brushing it past his shoulder. Pushing off the ground with his left foot, he lurched at her to attempt a body-check.

As he crashed into her, he was reminded precisely why this girl was considered the top student by many. '_Brick wall'_ Flashed through his mind. She was completely immovable, an odd sight to behold considering her short frame. Due to their close proximity, Midoriya was easily able to shove the redhead with her shoulder. Unable to resist the massive force, he stumbled backwards. Not letting him recover, Midoriya dashed past him, kicking out at his left leg as she passed.

With surprising speed, Kirishima hardened both his legs, leaning back on his right to anchor himself. The greenettes kick landed, but she wasn't ready for the added resistance. She tripped, falling forward onto her front and the green electricity surrounding her dissipated. In an instant Kirishima was on her. One leg pressed into the back of her knees while the other pressed into the small of her back. He wrenched her arms behind her back in an attempt to fully restrain the small girl. Bakugo watched from the sidelines with bated breath. Would she actually lose? Kirishima fully leaned into her, linking his arms with hers to complete a grapple hold he'd seen on TV.

Midoriya grunted and let out a strained breath as his weight pressed into her. For a brief moment, neither of them moved as they each struggled to wrench and maintain control. Her familiar green aura of electricity returned, with it the strength of her movements was multiplied many times over. The fight devolved into a chorus of growls, grunts, and heavy breathing as the two strained themselves. After a number of seconds, Kirishima could feel his grip on her arms slipping. His hands were sweaty.

His desire to win overtook his natural trepidation over using his power against other people. He hardened his arms in an effort to maintain his hold. The girl below him let out sounds of pain as the hands restraining her transformed to unyielding and rough stone. '_If she wants to wrench herself out with raw strength, she'd have to scrape herself to kingdom come! I've got her!'_ She continued to pull at her arms, while he struggled to keep his rising guilt down.

He tried to focus on the coming victory. It was so close, all he had to do was maintain his hold. The strength of his grip increased further, his knuckles going white even in their stony form. As he focused on his hold, a disturbing thought overtook him. '_I can feel the bone of her arm…'_ A few more seconds passed like this, and Kirishima could feel his hold slipping. '_Damned sweaty hands…'_

His stomach flipped as the two were launched a moderate distance upwards. '_She launched off the ground? How? Her hands are behind her back.'_ A swift kick to his shin interrupted his thoughts. His legs were unguarded; he was focused on his grapple. Pain shot through him and his grip faltered for the briefest moment. In an instant she was free, spinning mid air to jut her open hand towards his chest. Still reeling from surprise over the whole ordeal, the blow landed. The redhead flew backwards with surprising force. He landed unceremoniously as a heap on the ground.

He heard her rapidly approaching. He quickly shot a hand up, stopping her advance. He wanted to say something, but his erratic breathing wouldn't allow words to form: He hadn't been able to harden to resist her strike to his chest. The electricity surrounding the small girl vanished, and she visibly relaxed. He could hear Bakugo approaching slowly.

Izu stood a number of feet back, wringing her hands with a nervous look on her face. Worried that she'd maybe gone too far. Although, she did manage to stick to 10% the entire time and emerge victorious. Bakugo knelt down next to the writhing redhead, offering him a hand with a scoff. Kirishima took the hand and was hauled to his feet. One of his hands still rested across his chest.

"You look like you need a minute." Bakugo stated matter-of-factly.

"Y-Yeah. We can have at it in a… minute." Kirishima sighed. Bakugo simply shrugged.

Feeling like she had to speak, Izu began "Ah I… I'm s-sorry for ca-"

Kirishima cut her off with a wave of his hand. "Come on, Midoriya." He wheezed, taking a deep breath. "Don't apologize. If anything I should be-" He paused for a moment. "-thanking you." He turned to Bakugo once again, holding up two fingers and raising an eyebrow. The blonde gave a curt nod in response. Kirishima collapsed back to the ground, despite accepting Bakugo's hand earlier. The blonde rolled his eyes at the redheads actions.

Izu turned towards the wall where they'd sat before, but hesitated. She couldn't peel her eyes off the boy on the ground. She took a half step in his direction, guilt growing every second. Her hands shook slightly, and her breathing sped up. A familiar sensation similar to light headedness creeped into the back of her mind. Panic.

A snap from Bakugo got her attention. He rapidly approached her, looking… angry? Not quite. His expression was hard to place. "You're fine, Green. Save the thinking for once we're finished. Go sit down and watch our fight carefully. We all owe it to each other to share our thoughts and analysis. Remember we only just started our session today." His eyes met hers. '_Don't freak out.'_ He silently hoped she'd pick up on his meaning.

Izu had a hard time looking away from him. He had such an intense gaze, one which held so much meaning. His words finally registered, and she absentmindedly nodded. Leaving the two males to themselves, she walked over to the far wall with quiet steps. Sliding down the wall, she sat with her head on her knees. She tried to force herself to focus on something. Anything but what just happened. She knew that, when left to her own thoughts, it would always end for the worse. She needed someone else to guide the conversation and her thoughts, then she could be useful to the group.

She stared at the two classmates in the room with her, trying to distract herself - she let her mind wander from tangent to tangent. Thankfully they were facing away from her. She scanned the blonde up and down. '_We're wearing… basically the same thing.'_ She quickly glanced at her own attire, frowning. '_He… has nice arms. They both do.'_ She'd noticed the first time they visited the gym, but had been too freaked out by the thought to go anywhere with it. With her mouth hidden, she allowed herself to smirk slightly as she watched the two. '_They're both so…'_ She cocked an eyebrow, not sure quite how to describe them. '_-similar? Thoughtful. Caring? They both… want to help, I think. They express themselves so differently, it's hard to truly say they act the same sometimes.'_

Kirishima and Bakugo had begun their match after a few minutes. It was a pretty wild fight, she had to admit. Lots more contact and exchange of blows than either of her matches. She wouldn't say it was even exactly. Bakugo seemed to hold the upper hand, but Kirishima's Quirk was suited well to deal with the blondes explosions. Their fight was the longest of the three by a noticeable margin.

Izu found it fascinating to see how both her classmates approached this fight differently than their match with her. Kirishima was a lot less cautious, going gung-ho constantly and always chasing Bakugo whenever he tried to create distance. This definitely looked a lot more like a fight than she imagined her matches looked. Hers probably looked like glorified chess matches, as both her opponents realized the ball was in their court. They were the one who would have to outsmart or outplay her.

Bakugo had also switched up his strategy. He was attacking in bursts, stringing together multiple hits, then backing off until he could spot another opening. '_He almost looks like a video game character.'_ Kirishima had adjusted to his friends strategy quite well. He was activating and deactivating his hardening constantly to conserve energy; only using it when he was sure his opponent was committed to an attack.

Bakugo also seemed to use feints much more against the redhead. '_Probably because he realized that trying too many feints against someone with faster reactions and movements than him isnt a good idea. Smart.'_ She had seen him try a few tricky moves during their fight, but it was nothing compared to what she was witnessing now.

Each had landed their fair share of strikes, and they were starting to slow down. Kirishima eventually conceded as he reached the limits of his Quirk, rendering him unable to defend against Bakugo's attacks.

'_Kirishima gave up the match? The entire time he was seemingly fighting on even ground with Bakugo. Maybe taking a few hits he could've avoided here and there… but it was certainly a good match. I wonder what the true limit of his quirk is. Bakugo has demonstrated a variety of differently powered explosions. Can Kirishima change the hardness of his Quirk? I should ask him.'_ Her thoughts were interrupted as Bakugo and Kirishima arrived in front of her. Embarrassed, she quickly stood up and smoothed out her clothes.

"I'd sit back down if I were you." Kirishima suggested. "Bakugo certainly has a lot he wants to talk about." He smirked and stuck his thumb in the blondes direction.

"Shut it. You know you have a lot you want to discuss. Don't act like you don't." Bakugo plopped down on the ground with a sigh, resting his head on a hand. He gestured towards Kirishima in a lazy manner. Kirishima furled a brow at him, not quite catching his meaning with the gesture. Izu looked between the two with a confused expression. Deciding not to read into it too much, she slid back down the wall, bring her knees up to her chest. Kirishima was the last to sit down, groaning as he did so.

An odd silence descended upon the trio. They'd all just pitted themselves against one another in a contest of strength and wit, and now they waited for someone to break the metaphorical ice. Bakugo was the first to do so, with a question to Izu. "You were holding back, Green. I kind of figured you would, so we could actually fight. Do you think you gained anything from this? I'm genuinely curious." His expression was unexpectedly neutral, apart from his raised eyebrows.

"Y-Yeah. Even if I'm fast and… strong, I still need to know how to fight. Right? Like if… I encountered someone who could match me in both." She finished with a shrug. Inside she knew that was an extremely unlikely event that such a person existed. Apart from All Might, of course.

"You did mention you were interested in training in a martial art. Right now your fighting style seems… almost like street brawling." Kirishima rubbed the back of his neck, unsure how she would react to such a statement.

Bakugo nodded in agreement. "You're obviously a smart fighter. You clearly think a lot during a fight, but I think that could turn out to be a shackle for you. Sure you might destroy the competition at UA, but too much thinking in the moment can be a serious flaw." He paused, pursing his lips slightly in thought. "You're way faster and stronger than me, but even in spite of that I was able to fight you on relatively even ground for a while. Why do you think that is?" He looked between Kirishima and Midoriya, cleaning wanting answers from both of them.

"Um…" Izu was unable to suppress her natural response. She didn't have an answer ready yet. She turned to Kirishima for help.

He gave a small chuckle before starting, "Planning in the moment can be good, but you'll be overtaken by people who act on instinct alone." He jut a finger towards Bakugo. Bakugo gaze a silent nod in approval. "If you were slightly slower, I think Bakugo could've taken the match between you two. Just based on what I saw." He shrugged. "I realized that soon after my first fight with Bakugo during the first few days of school. He's crazy fast because he only deals with what's in front of him."

Bakugo scowled at Kirishima's words. "WHAT?! Of course I plan for shit! Just not constantly, like Green does." He gestured towards Midoriya, who seemed to shrink further into the wall. He rubbed his face in annoyance. "Whatever. Green-" Her head popped up upon hearing her name… or nickname rather. "-what are your thoughts." He sat up straight, crossing his arms as he waited for her response.

Izu was at an impasse. '_Bakugo said he knew I was holding back. Should I defend my style by saying I can spare the time to think more because of my speed? While it's certainly a bad practice… I'm able to make it work. Especially at higher percentages of Full-Cowling. I mean… I could've beaten them both easily if I really wanted. But that's not why we're here. He acknowledged that, too. He… really does think of everything.'_ She frowned at her thoughts, shooting a quick glance at the blonde. Her opinion of him was slowly changing. '_He wouldn't like that answer. Shows once again that I'm relying on my Quirk too much, and developing bad habits because of it.'_

"Well…" She began. "I agree that… I'm thinking too much. I think it's kind of a byproduct of… not being able to realistically use more of my power… yet. This is how I've learned to fight. I know it's not perfect, but it works well with what I have access to at the moment. Once I can better control my power, I think I'll be able to fight as you suggested. Less thinking, more combat instinct. It's… definitely better. But I'm still too cautious about my movements at higher power levels. I don't want to… harm anyone?" She shrugged, not entirely confident in her own words.

Bakugo and Kirishima shared a glance. This was the most they've heard her talk… ever. Bakugo nodded slowly, still trying to process everything she'd said. '_She still doesn't have full control over her power? What? Just… just what is her limit? How strong can she get? She can already move faster than most people can see, AND use ridiculous strength…'_ The blonde crossed his arms, a strange glint visible in his eyes. "Green, you mentioned while we were walking that you don't use higher levels of your power because of the wind you create." She gave a small nod in his direction. "So can you use the same power you demonstrated during the Quirk apprehension test in a similar manner to how you used your power against us?"

She looked at the floor with a worried expression, but nodded nonetheless. The two males looked between each other. Kirishima's thoughts escaped his mouth before he could properly vet them, "It makes sense why you're hesitant to use higher levels. The wind from that throw was intense. Plus that time outside the dorm-" He cut himself off, not entirely sure if she knew she was seen during that or not.

Her expression was hard to read, as she was looking down at the floor still. Bakugo had a confused look. "Outside the dorm?" He asked.

"Anyways!" Midoriya suddenly started. "That's enough about me, right? What do you guys think you need to… work on?" She deflected. An overbearing, awkward silence overcame the trio. Bakugo coughed after a moment, before adeptly continuing the conversation. He did have an agenda, it seemed.

"Well as you both saw I can use my explosions to greatly increase my mobility. Plus the smoke that is created serves as a useful tool, despite it only lasting a few seconds, max." As Bakugo continued, Midoriya fiddled with a zipper on the small bag she brought with her. She pulled out a worn notebook, quickly turning to a page and scribbling stuff down. "At the moment I can only use low powered blasts, or one to two uses of a much larger explosion. Being able to better control the power of my blasts would give me a ton more options in all aspects of combat."

He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, then addressed his two classmates. "That's something that will come with time, and UA will certainly be able to help with that. In terms of combat improvements…" He glanced between the two of them with a subtly expectant look.

Kirishima wasted no time, jumping at the opportunity to criticize the hot headed blonde. "When you did try and fight me hand to hand, your footwork was pretty sloppy. I noticed this too during our previous sparring session. You're amazing at maneuvering with your Quirk, but part of the reason I was able to last so long against you is because you kept letting me get close. Whenever you did land, I was easily able to make you concede ground, forcing you to use your Quirk to get away rather than attack me."

The blonde brought a hand up to his chin in contemplation. "It's true I had to fight you differently than I did Green. You're more of a tank than she is-" He gestured towards Midoriya. "-so I had to play for the long haul. I had to use my Quirk sparingly, which meant relying more on hand to hand."

Izu saw a good opportunity to jump in with her own thoughts. "I uh… It was pretty clear that you fought Kirishima differently than me. When fighting me I think you almost didn't use your Quirk enough. Yeah you had… really creative and precise usage, but you can't compete with me in close combat. Even… blocking my attacks was bad for you, I noticed." She nodded towards the arm he caught her downward strike with. He rolled his shoulder, amazed that it continued to ache after all this time.

Bakugo nodded, absorbing his classmates words as best he could. He turned to Kirishima, "Well what about you, Weird Hair? Your thoughts, then we can share ours."

Kirishima rolled his eyes at the nickname. "Well… I actually did better than I expected against you guys. My hardening still seems… ill-equipped to fight versus your Quirk types. I'm not good in drawn out fights. That being said, Midoriya still overwhelmed me pretty quickly. Even with seriously amped-up hardness, I could still feel her strikes." He shrugged his shoulders, seemingly finished with his self analysis.

"The grapple... was a good idea? Being tricky like that was almost definitely the right choice… in that situation." She bit the inside of her lip, considering her next words carefully. "Considering you're at a disadvantage in close combat…"

Kirishima crossed his arms. "Yeah, you're right. My usual strategy of… well… brute forcing things doesn't really work if my opponent, _you_, can beat me at my own game."

Izu quickly added. "I think you did a good job switching which areas you have your Quirk activated on. Using your clothes as cover was a good idea."

"How long can you keep your entire body hardened?" Bakugo questioned the redhead.

"Uh, if I'm not taking any hits I can hold a basic level of hardness for about twenty minutes. That number goes down if I increase the hardiness, or if I'm taking hits. Obviously that timer goes up if it's NOT my entire body."

A similar thought crossed both Bakugo and Izu's minds: '_That's… less time than I expected.'_

"You should work on increasing that, Weird Hair. Did you use your maximum hardness against us ever?" Bakugo probed.

"No. I didn't really see an opportunity." Kirishma responded.

"Opportunity? Wouldn't it be advantageous to use it whenever to absorb more damage? Or are you currently at a point where it's more worthwhile to take some damage from a hit rather than exert your Quirk that much?"

"I… I guess you could say that." He said rather lamely. "Feels stupid, but I still have ways to go in terms of stamina and Quirk-fortitude, or whatever you wanna call it. Assuming my Quirk can even reach such a level."

A vein bulged on Bakugo's forehead. "Shut the fuck up with that self deprecation, Kirishima. Why do I think you're stronger than you do? Thats backwards as fuck. The power to be immovable… is truly a cornerstone of being a hero. That's something I can't hope to match. You are a protector who, when given the chance, can dish out some serious physical attacks. I can't speak for green, but when it comes to protecting people, you're much better suited to it than I am. And that's not something I'm proud to say. As awesome as my Quirk is, I recognize its limitations. So you need to shut up and realize the _benefits_ of your power. Once you do that, you'll be able to use it to its fullest potential."

The blonde sighed, seemingly finished with his rant. Kirishima and Izu shared a look of bewilderment. '_Bakugo is… surprisingly kind hearted. I guess that shouldn't really be surprising anymore. He's gone against my expectations again and again. He's very different compared to how he conveys himself in class. I'm sure our classmates have a totally separate image of him.'_ "I uh… I agree with Bakugo. Confidence is… important, Kirishima." She mentally rolled her eyes. '_I should take my own advice.'_

The redhead simply nodded at his two classmates, still unsure how to respond to the… praise? Advice? Either way, it certainly had a big impact on him. Kirishima straightened his back, standing up in one fluid motion. He thrust a fist into the air. "You're both right!" He wore a wide smile. He extended a hand down to his cross legged friends, which they both accepted (Bakugo a bit begrudgingly so, but he didn't want to trample Kirishima's lightened mood). "The sports festival is just over two weeks away. We should keep training against one another, and totally blow our classmates out of the water! We all need to try our best, and really show the Pro's watching what we're made of!"

"Yeah…" Izu agreed, albeit with less enthusiasm.

"That's the spirit, Weird Hair."

* * *

3pm rolled around, and the trio began to pack up their things. They'd spent a while practicing personalized Quirk exercises, and were all quite tired. All ready to go, an uncommon beeping came from Izu's bag. '_There are only two people who have my number… Mom and...'_

She waved goodbye to Kirishima and Bakugo, explaining that she was going to stick around to take the call. She fished through her bag, finding her phone and pulling it out. Her eyes widened as she read the caller ID. It had been… quite a while since she'd heard from him. He was supposed to be a UA teacher, but in the two weeks she'd attended so far, he hadn't shown up yet.

She swallowed her nervousness, tapping the button to accept the call. "H-Hi, All Might."

* * *

Authors Note:

Sorry this chapter took longer! Exams ate a lot of my time. Will have the next one out in a more timely manner!

Still working on pacing. I feel like so far I've spent too much time on mundane stuff that doesn't really further the plot of the story. I'm gonna work on that in these next few chapters.

~Till next time!


	10. Calm Before The Storm

Nezu sat in his office twiddling his small thumbs. He was dreading the coming conversation. A certain tall blonde was supposed to arrive any minute now, bearing some… exceptionally bad news. To his left rested a short green haired girls student file. It bulged from the mess of papers inside of it. By Nezu's request, all her teachers had been taking notes on her actions throughout her day to day classes. Even when she wasn't in class… the dorms security cameras were utilized to gain more information wherever legal. Of course there were no cameras in student rooms.

Nezu thumbed through some of the notes for the third time today, glancing over the pages upon pages of observations left by other faculty. 'Constantly fidgeting in class.' 'Can't sit still.' 'Never participates despite exemplary grades.' 'Silent unless approached first.' 'Avoids eye contact.' Nezu rubbed his face as he turned another page. At least they weren't… all bad? His eyes traced some of Aizawa's records. 'Incredible speed and strength.' 'Shows no hesitation during rescue operations.' 'Doesn't accept praise well.' 'Doesn't work well with teammates.' 'Lacks motivation or reason to use full strength.' 'Is overly concerned about harming others.' Nezu's heart broke as he read a line that really struck a chord with him. Aizawa had underlined this one and traced over it multiple times to emphasize its importance. 'Doesn't believe she is meant to be a hero.'

His guilty conscience forced him to look away from the folder. He stared out his office window, looking at nothing in particular. '_The great UA Hero School… spying on one of its students. Of course she is… one of the most… important(?) students we've ever had. Our mental health programs are ill equipped to deal with a situation as delicate as hers...'_ Nezu sighed, speaking his thoughts out loud to the empty room. "She shouldn't be in school. She needs to be in a more serious rehabilitation programme, if I'm being honest. But… at the same time. She has an immense responsibility to master her power, and become a driving force for Heroes everywhere. Compounded by the fact that All Might will be-"

Nezu's eyes shot to the door of his office. A quiet knock resonated throughout the small room. '_He's here…'_ An immense sense of dread washed over the small mammal. The worst conversation for Hero society… was about to occur. In his office. Right now. '_I knew this was going to happen sometime relatively soon. But that doesn't change the fact that… in only a short few days, the entire world will change.'_

"Come in, the door is unlocked." Nezu called out.

The door opened slowly. The mans long blonde hair entered the room before his lanky skeletal frame did. Toshinori Yagi looked especially melancholy as he glanced around Nezu's office, his eyes landed on UA's principal. He was unable to suppress his frown as he nodded at his animal friend. As the door quietly clicked shut behind him, he turned to face Nezu fully.

"Hello Nezu." The blonde gave a small wave, while making an attempt to put on a smile to ease the obvious tension in the room.

"It's been a while, Toshinori. How have these past few weeks of rest for you been?"

"It was… quite odd. This was the first time in… well over five years that I wasn't actively seeking out villains of some sort." He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I'd forgotten how long a day was. It was challenging to find something to occupy my time. But… I managed." He nodded his head as he finished his sentence, hoping to appear more confident than he really was.

"I'm glad to hear it went alright." Nezu acknowledged, his mind clearly elsewhere.

Toshinori shifted from foot to foot, unsure how to truly begin the coming conversation. With a deep breath in, he started: "Well… I'm not one to beat around the bush. Shall we… talk?"

Nezu wasn't able to stay as composed as the No. 1 Hero; he let out a loud sigh as he jumped out of his chair, speaking as he walked over to two more comfortable chairs that sat in front of his desk. "Of course. Please take a seat so we can… discuss." He gestured towards the two chairs on either side of a small coffee table.

Toshinori took a seat without a word, shifting a few times before settling on a comfortable position in the slightly-too-small chair. The two old friends sat across from each other, simply waiting till the blonde was ready to begin the conversation. Neither was sure how much time had passed, but Toshinori eventually broke the silence with a cough.

He hated this. "Well. I uh…" He clasped and unclasped his restless hands, unable to keep them still. He swallowed the lump in his throat and straightened his back slightly. His eyes met the principals across from him. His shoulders slumped, betraying the air of confidence he was trying to maintain. "I've decided that… I'm going to… retire. From Hero work."

This was what Nezu expected, but even so the admission hit him hard. Although he didn't know all the details, he'd seen the little signs clear as day in his friend. Blood showing in the corner of his mouth. A slight limp here and there, though he hid it well. He'd gotten slower, but he maintained his 'faster than the eye can see' speed, so many couldn't tell at a glance. His punches were weaker. He… had weaknesses now. It had been just about two years since He'd passed his power onto Midoriya, and he was slowly but surely using up what remained of One For All.

Toshinori's entire demeanor changed. He exhaled, slumping forward to rest his arms on his knees. He sighed. "It feels… oddly satisfying to say it out loud. To you." He raised his head to look at his friend. "I'm going to make an announcement through my Agency after the sports festival. So…" He took a moment to count. "-In 18 days."

Nezu nodded, scribbling some information down in a notepad he'd brought with him. "Have you secured residence somewhere nearby, just in case? Of course you're welcome to stay at UA's facilities. I recommend it, actually."

"Yes, I have. And... yes I was going to ask about that. Staying on campus would be greatly appreciated. It will allow me to keep up a strong appearance even after I retire. Smart people with sharp eyes will scrutinize footage of my actions after my retirement announcement. It… will soon be obvious that I've been weakening for a while. The media will no doubt pick up on it within a month or so of my announcement." Toshinori paused, then added. "You should know... I've also told Endeavor of my upcoming retirement. I've asked him to help."

Nezu was shocked All Might dropped something like that so casually. "Really?" Toshinori nodded. "That's… hmm. Okay. What came of the conversation? Takeaways?" Nezu shrugged his shoulders, bewildered. He hadn't decided if this was a… positive development quite yet.

"He's willing to work with UA and Midoriya. We didn't go into specifics, but he took the information better than I expected he would. He did say he needed some time to think, be we planned to talk again soon. Before the Sports Festival, so before my announcement. I suspect he will be willing to train some UA students. He's been keeping a close eye on his son and his class. He was… aware of the scope of Midoriya's power, which I found slightly strange."

"Aware? Well I'm honestly not surprised. Most high ranking Heroes, you and I included, have information networks and connections that run quite deep. I can't blame him for taking advantage of his to learn more about his son's progress. It's not _exactly_ illegal…" Nezu rubbed his chin, more than a bit peeved that Endeavor had an 'in' to otherwise private UA information.

Nezu changed the subject, not wanting to think too much on the Endeavor situation just yet. "So am I right to assume you'll still work as a teacher?"

Toshinori sat up straighter, and held his head a little higher. "I will. I plan to use what remains of One For All to train the Hero class students to the best of my abilities." One hand transformed, suddenly bulging with muscles. "Right now my 100% is probably somewhere around Midoriya's 40%. Though that's just my guess. As you know, One For All grows each time it is passed down, so her numbers are undoubtedly higher than mine. In truth, with the control she's demonstrated, she's probably stronger than I am at the moment, at least in terms of raw power." He let out a harsh laugh, his arm deflating back to its usual self.

"Mmm." Was all Nezu gave as a reply. He found this... unsettling. '_I knew All Might was weakening, but if this information was even slightly accurate… Is it right to still count him among UA's combat ready staff? He can still fight, surely. And knowing him he will certainly want to if a need arises. Is it right to have him use his power to train the students? How long will his power remain if unused? Should… should I see if Endeavor will take a teaching position? That would certainly bolster UA's fighting power… and of course he has invaluable experience in combat and resolving conflicts.'_ A million thoughts flashed through Nezu's mind. He scribbled nonstop in his notebook, all while looking around the room and at All Might across from him.

The No. 1 Hero continued, "I was hoping to get to some one on one time with her soon. Her control has reached the point where she'll need to start developing many 'super moves' to increase her effectiveness. Simply relying on the strength, speed, and durability of Full-Cowling won't suffice anymore. I have… more than a few things I could teach her. Advanced techniques."

"Things that you couldn't teach her earlier, yes?" Nezu assumed he already knew the answer, but wanted to hear it from Toshinori himself.

"Yes. Because her control hadn't reached the point where knowing any of this new information would benefit her. I didn't want to distract her from first mastering the basics. Now that it seems she has, I can begin to tutor her on more advanced tactics and facets of One For All's power." The blondes head dropped as he sighed. "I wanted to be able to be able to tutor her more early on... but Gran Torino made it clear that I'm not good at teaching how to control a Quirk. As he said I could use and regulate One For All almost immediately. But…" He clenched his fists and raised his head, eyes glowing blue. "But now that she's gotten there, I can truly begin to instruct her on the full potential of this power. I will teach her how to utilize this Quirk in rescue and combat to the fullest potential, so she can attain the goal she's always wanted!"

The Principal nodded in approval. '_Anything to help her grow is appreciated and needed. Hopefully All Might is serious with these claims. If she can improve in more ways than just increasing her already monstrous strength and speed… She'll be a true force to be reckoned with.'_ Continuing on the topic of Midoriya, Nezu jumped on the segway opportunity. "Speaking of Midoriya…" He hopped out of his chair and walked back over to his desk, grabbing the bulging folder. He sifted through it as he returned to his seat across from Toshinori. "Recently, meaning the most recent Thursday, her mother came forward with some information. It… explained quite a lot." The small mammal shuddered as the contents of the letter flashed through his mind.

Toshinori leaned forward, immediately focused on what Nezu had to say. "What did her mother tell you, Nezu?" His mind flashed through dozens of possibilities. '_What could her mother have revealed? It… it must be related to her trauma in some way. What else could have Nezu so obviously shaken?'_

Nezu's eyes raised almost imperceptibly. '_This is… unexpected. Inko Midoriya didn't say who knew anything of her daughters situation. Still, I expected Toshinori to know specifics. Izu Midoriya is certainly tight lipped.'_ Coming back to the conversation, Nezu started "Some things about her past. And… why she is so…" He covered his eyes with a hand (paw?), unable to bring himself to finish. "Well, I suppose you should read this." He slid a handwritten note across the table.

Nezu's own words stuck in his mind. '_Specifics… Tight lipped…'_ A sense of dread washed over him. '_Does… Is Izu Midoriya aware of whats been done to her?' _He utilized his Quirk to recount the transcript of his conversation with the Midoriya matriarch. '_Her wording… suggests that Izu isn't aware. That... or she's not sure if she knows. It would honestly make sense either way. If she knows or doesn't. I never planned on mentioning it to her. Still…'_

As Toshinori grabbed the letter, he settled into his chair with a hand on his chin. Toshinori held the note with great caution. Unsure if he should pry into his successors life like this. Inspite of knowing her for almost three years, he knew remarkably little about the girl prior to when they met. Taking the paper, he glanced over at Nezu. "I assume this pertains to her… lack of… confidence?" He waved a hand and shook his head as he finished. It was insulting to the girl to downplay her plight in such a way. "The troubles she's been going through…" He added. He silently promised to apologize to Midoriya, even if she wasn't present for his blunder.

Nezu simply nodded, seemingly lost in thought. After a moment of deliberation, Toshinori took the page and began reading.

* * *

All Might arrived, in his Muscle Form, to an empty training facility. This one was recently used and abused by a class of third years, and was scheduled for repairs. Nezu had assured him that no one would notice if a few extra things were broken. Toshinori only felt slightly bad for what he was about to do. But… he had to.

As someone who'd been a Hero for over three decades, he'd seen his fair share of horrifying things. Crazed murderers, rapists, slave rings, and countless more. Uncommon individuals would appear who dabbled in all those and more. He never let such things affect him while he was working. Of course he offered support to the victims of such crimes in any way he knew how. His predecessors words flashed through his mind. The eighteen words that had become his mantra. "Saving people from danger is one thing. To truly save someone, you also need to save their mind."

Saving people was his job. His purpose! And that quote was what his entire 'Save people with a smile' signature had stemmed from. To learn that someone so close to him… was so deeply in pain. A different kind of pain than the one he felt qualified to manage. He… felt useless. Like he'd failed.

He walked into the partially destroyed faux-city. His fists clenched hard, nails drawing blood from his palms. He let out a scream before throwing a wild punch. Wind exploded forwards; tearing concrete up from the street and shattering hundreds of windows nearby. He'd never been so… powerless. He hated it. His smile was long gone.

For several minutes the No. 1 Hero rampaged around, simply destroying things for the sake of it. Venting his anger through action was something Toshinori never truly got to do. Someone of his status, power, and notoriety never had a moment out of the public eye. Especially if he were to do something like this. His mind was a mess of guilt and anger. He silently apologized for each building he toppled, but a separate part of his mind thanked him for acting on his pent up rage. His current actions were so backwards to how he normally acted.

'Control your power to avoid needless destruction. Try to direct fights to areas already affected, to reduce clean up time. Focus on restraining a rampaging villain as soon as possible, to protect the surrounding environment. Evacuations were clostly and could bring entire cities to a halt. Change area's if possible.' All these rules and more flooded through his mind, but he brushed them aside. He needed this temporary lapse from society. He needed some way to express his emotions, but there were few he could talk to.

After ten loud minutes of mindless destruction, his logical self managed to rein the rest of him back in. He huffed with excess energy, hands shaking as they flexed open and closed. He relaxed his shoulders and surveyed the area around him. Dozens upon dozens of buildings had been reduced to rubble. It appeared as if a bomb had gone off; the only thing not ground up by the sheer force of his blows was the steel-reinforced supports of some taller buildings.

As he slowly settled down, he felt a strange, entirely foreign sensation on his face. In an instant a hand shot up to inspect the unknown offence. He pulled his hand back to observe. It was… wet? Dozens more tears rolled down his face. Frustrated, he tried to wipe them all away, but each one he smothered was seemingly replaced by two more. Admitting defeat, he collapsed to the ground in a heap.

Dust slowly settled around him. His back slumped forward, forcing him to stare at the ground. His fists rested in front of him, not even scratched from the countless punches he'd dished out. '_Young Midoriya… I… I'm sorry. All this time you've… been trying so hard. So incredibly hard.'_ He sniffled. His entire face felt grimy, a mix of sweat, tears, dust, and… snot. '_I can't imagine what you've gone through… having to grow up with… such a strong force working against you.'_

All Might was no stranger to his own mind working against him. He'd questioned himself, doubted himself, hated himself - even. Such feelings were, almost normal; he figured. But he knew his goal, knew his true self and what that self wanted. He persevered. He'd quashed the doubt and negativity within him. His goal had driven him so far, and he'd fully embraced it, by staying true to himself. He'd attained what he always wanted. The support of those around him was invaluable.

As unfair as it was, his goal was unattainable without power. A Quirkless individual could not become the symbol of peace. Such a lofty role required power, overwhelming power, in this society of superhumans. That was why… that was why he'd taken such a liking to Midoriya. He saw so much of himself in her. They truly were incredibly similar. But…

'_I can't imagine what she's gone through.'_ He repeated. '_I can't imagine what… I would have done if those feelings in me had won. I always associated them as "someone else". The negative side of me was simply trying to drag me down. But I wouldn't let it. I was stronger than that side of me.'_ He smashed the ground he sat on, forming a small crater in the ground. '_But… to have my very being warped. To have my true self cut out and replaced by those dark feelings and doubts I could beat back with those around me. What must it have been like, Midoriya? To be forced to think that your true self was nothing but a sham? To have the doubt and negativity we all keep locked inside, to have that become your truth?'_

He sat up a tad, he sniffed a final time before regaining some control over his emotions. A realization struck him. '_But… look where you are now, Midoriya. You and I are so much alike. But you had an additional, monumental force, disguised as your own desires shackling you. But we are truly alike. You won't let anything stop you. And look… here you are. Accepted to UA, and pursuing a dream you believe to be impossible. How strong you must be; to trudge through so much opposition. A different kind of unbeatable strength resides in you. The desire to be a hero in you cannot be killed. Not even when you yourself are trying to kill it, by the order of some horrific Quirk.'_

In an instant he was on his feet, looking towards the sky. The sun was directly overhead, shining down on the destroyed city. He stared upwards, taking a moment to breath in the calming air, only to cough a few seconds later. The dust had yet to fully clear from the area. A sense of shame washed over him, and he once again surveyed his surroundings with a cooler head. Part of him wanted to run to Nezu and apologize, but he knew he would only be brushed off. He had been given permission, afterall.

He turned towards the entrance he'd come from, slowly deflating back to his normal state. He coughed a few more times; wiping his mouth revealed blood. '_And here I am wasting what little I have left of One For All for some selfish reason. It's called One For All, for a reason.'_ He rolled his eyes, promising to never again give in to such desires. But… a part of him was thankful he was able to release his pent up emotions. He left the faux-city with a far clearer head, and he began the slow walk back to the main UA grounds. He used the time to think.

Ahead of him lay a complicated and daunting future. One where the Symbol of Peace would retire from Hero work. One where the ninth wielder of One For All must break free from the horrific chains that were restricting her full potential. A future where… he would settle down and leave the hero world he'd changed so drastically.

His mind drifted to Endeavor. As he said to Nezu, he'd revealed a large amount of history to the No. 2 Hero privately. They had plans for a second meeting to more closely discuss how they would work together to secure the coming future. While their relationship was by no means fixed or even improved, when it came to business, Endeavor was nothing but serious. After confirming the validity of All Mights coming retirement, the Flame Hero had immediately began making preparations for the undeniable changes soon to come. Whether or not Endeavor liked All Mights decision was not important, neither were the details surrounding his retirement. Faced with such a drastic change, Endeavor knew worrying about such things wasn't important. Those could come later.

Toshinori thought back to the private conversation the two had only a few days ago…

* * *

_Flashback..._

In his hero form, All Might entered the Endeavor Hero Agency for the first time ever. The receptionist was unable to hide her shock, but after confirming All Might was indeed scheduled to meet with the No. 2 Hero, he was sent up without delay.

His initial request to meet with Endeavor had been denied; no doubt it was assumed to be a joke or some mistake. But after a second request and a separate vouch from another reputable source, Endeavor begrudgingly scheduled a meet time. Thankfully the hot-headed man knew when to put business over emotions.

Toshinori's mind raced as he stood in the elevator. The door opened directly into Endeavors office. The No. 2 Hero's office was quite drab. Only a few light fixtures illuminated the huge room. It was sparsely decorated, and the windows lining the far wall were all tinted to prevent any eavesdropping. The man himself sat behind the large wooden desk with his arms crossed. He wore a suit jacket and pants, but had forgone a tie. All Might had also chosen to wear a suit, judging it appropriate based on the content of their coming discussion.

The two maintained eye contact as All Might approached the large desk. Endeavor gave a slight nod to a nearby chair. All Might sight down without a word, turning to face the Flame Hero, he began. "Hello, Endeavor." The red haired man gave no response, simply raising his head in acknowledgement. Sensing the tense atmosphere, Toshinori decided to skip all formalities and get right into it. "I've come to you today with some important news. I am… retiring from Hero work in a month." That certainly got a reaction from the stoic man.

Endeavor uncrossed his arms, each going to a rest on the arms of his large chair. He wheeled himself forward, leaning closer to the No. 1 Hero. His eyes showed his unfiltered surprise clearly, despite his scowl. "Is this your idea of a joke, All Might?"

He quickly shot a hand up. "I am completely serious. I have… multiple things to reveal to you today. I am hoping we can work together in the coming future to secure a stable future for everyone." That certainly struck a chord. Endeavor sat back in his chair, a hand going to his chin.

'_He… doesn't seem to be lying. I've only ever had a handful of conversations with him, but he never struck me as a disingenuous person. What will he reveal, I wonder…'_ He shifted in his seat before wordlessly getting up and walking to a nearby cabinet. "I will hear you out; but know that this changes nothing between us. This is business. Important business, maybe."

"Of course." All Might confirmed. Endeavor walked around his desk, taking a seat across from the No. 1 Hero. A small gesture, but a meaningful one. Resigning his seat behind the desk to sit as an equal to All Might was certainly appreciated. The red haired man placed two glasses on the table that sat between them, pouring them both a glass of some strong smelling liquid.

He pushed the glass towards the massive blonde, who gave a nod of thanks. "Continue." Was all Endeavor had to say, leaning back in his seat.

A small sigh escaped him, but he began with a steady voice. "Are you aware of a fight I participated in five years ago. I believe it went down in the records as being against Toxic Chainsaw?"

Endeavors eyes widened. '_So it's true… it was a cover up.'_ The man he despised so much now had his full attention. He nodded.

All Might continued. "What I am going to show you will be shocking, but please remain calm." With only slight hesitation, and confusion from Endeavor, the massive blonde in a suit was covered in a brief cloud of steam. The steam cleared, and All Mights true form was revealed. Endeavor stood up suddenly, his face clearly displaying the emotions running through him.

An angry scowl quickly replaced his shocked expression. He yelled, "WHAT IS THIS? WHO… WHO ARE YOU?!"

All Might raised a hand to hopefully calm the understandably surprised No. 2 Hero. "I assure you I am All Might."

Endeavors mind was racing with countless thoughts. '_Of course he is All Might. Same clothes, some position and hair. Despite the skeletal appearance, it is clearly the same person. Is this his Quirk? Is this why he is retiring? Who else knows about this? What… just what happened recently to make him reveal something like this to me? Has he always been like this?'_ Slowly but surely the logical part of his brain regained control. He slowly relaxed, returning to his seat with a defeated expression on his face. '_I need to know more.'_ He thought. Still finding it hard to look at the skeletal All Might, he asked. "You mentioned… your fight with Toxic Chainsaw. I was aware that something was fishy with the fight, but was unable to uncover more than that. Elaborate. Explain… this" He gestured towards All Might.

All Might slowly stood up and undid a few buttons of his jacket. He raised his shirt and jacket up to reveal the massive scarring on his left side. Endeavors eyes bulged. He could barely believe what he was seeing. "Five years ago I battled with an unimaginably powerful Villain. I… emerged victorious, but suffered this wound. My stomach and half of my respiratory system were completely destroyed. My body slowly withered away over the years, weakening me even in my Hero Form."

All Might saw an eyebrow rise at his mention of 'hero form'. "Ah, let me explain some details of my Quirk." He tensed briefly, and in an instant he was back to his muscled self. "This is my Quirk. I am able to buff myself up to this form, and wield incredible physical strength. Prior to my injury I was able to sustain this form almost indefinitely. However nowadays, with my weakening body, My time is down to only a few hours a day at most. My maximum output and speed have also been slowly falling."

Endeavor held a hand up to pause the man across from him. "Please, give me a moment to think." Was all he said.

"Of course…" Despite his reply, he was slightly worried at how Endeavor would react to such information. This was no doubt a lot to take in, and their relationship prior to this was anything but chummy. A couple of minutes passed in silence. All Might took a few small sips from the glass Endeavor provided him. It was good alcohol, no doubt.

The Flame Hero finally spoke again, asking: "Who else knows of this other form of yours?"

"Only a select few. Close friends of mine. The teachers at UA High know, as I have taken up a teaching position there."

"Mmm. Yes I've heard of you being seen on UA grounds. I figured you'd became a teacher. That… makes much more sense with what you've revealed to me now." He paused again, eyeing the massive man in front of him. He pointed at the blonde man's abdomen, "Your injury… you mentioned you are weakening. I've seen your actions in the recent months. You do seem slower, but you are still All Might. You've defeated undeniably strong villains even in your 'weakened' state. Why retire now? And what of this Villain strong enough to push _you_ so far?"

That… was a good dual question. A hard to answer one. '_How much more should I divulge? Should I tell him about One For All? All For One? Having the No. 2 Hero know the details of my power certainly has advantages and disadvantages. What could he do with the information…? What would Nezu or Gran Torino think of me telling Endeavor? What of Midoriya? Though… we need all the help we can get in this shaky time.'_ All Might let out a heavy sigh. He composed himself, then decided. He would tell him. Everything. He deflated back to his regular form, before starting his long story.

* * *

The meeting was originally scheduled to last only thirty minutes. However once All Might began his tale of All For One and the creation of One For All, Endeavor had to briefly excuse himself to cancel all other plans for the day. He returned after a few minutes, looking slightly unsettled.

All Might told Endeavor the entire history of his power, its origin and how it was passed down to be used as a weapon against the supervillain responsible for its creation. He explained how he was Quirkless, and this power was given to him. How he used it to finally defeat All For One. All Might spent nearly two hours explaining the history and answering Endeavors sparse clarifying questions. Endeavor listened largely in silence, simply nodding and absorbing as much information as he could. Eventually All Mights long speech came to a close, and he asked if the Flame Hero had any questions.

"So the One For All power grows each time it is passed down, and it is uniquely expressed in each holder, correct?" Endeavor asked.

"That is correct. My unique expression of the power is my Muscle Form. The power itself is the same for each holder however; enhanced speed and strength." All Might confirmed.

The red haired man scratched his chin, before saying. "So you we're already weakening because of your injury. That prompted you to find a successor. You mentioned you've already selected someone. As time goes on your power weakens further?"

"Not exactly." All Might answered. "One For All no longer resides within me, so the power I have stocked up cannot be replenished. Essentially I am running on finite tank that can't be refilled. Each time I use my power, my reservoir gets smaller. If I avoided using my power for a year, I would still have the level of power I do now." He paused. "Well I might be slightly weaker in a year, due to my injury, but you get the point."

Endeavor nodded. "I understand why you're retiring. Saving your strength in case of some major incident?"

"Sort of. I plan to use a portion of it to continue to train my successor, who is attending UA now." The blonde responded.

"Hmm. May I know who you passed it on to? Although I do have an idea who it is, I would like to hear it from you. I've been keeping a close eye on my young Shoto's class and their progress."

All Might hesitated for a brief moment, but answered truthfully. "Izu Midoriya, in class 1-A."

Endeavor nodded, then let out a hoarse laugh. "Hah! Figures. No wonder that girl is so overwhelming. It makes sense, now."

All Might shuffled in his chair. He'd finished everything he wanted to say. "D-Do you have any more questions?"

Endeavor waited a few moments. "I must say, before you divulged the more sensitive details and history of your power, I was furious. But now…" He stood up and walked a few feet away, his back turned to the No. 1 Hero. "It's reinforced my image of you. Despite everything I've tried to do… You truly are amazing. You've completed your dream. You've become the pillar you sought to create. You've used the power given to you to defeat the Prime-Evil. And… you've passed it on." He began to pace around, eventually turning to face All Might who remained sitting all the while.

The Flame Hero continued, "Its frustrating, truly." He rubbed his forehead in annoyance. "It is challenging to not respect you. But… rest assured, I will not share anything you have told me today. I… need some time to truly process how I feel about all of this. But I will work with you. With UA. With… Midoriya, was it? To maintain the peaceful society you worked so hard to create. The society that I reside in and cherish. That, I promise." He bowed slightly.

A smile crept across Toshinori's face for the first time since the start of the day. "I…" He looked down at his lap, contemplating what he wanted to say. He looked back up, meeting the eyes of the No. 2 Hero. "Thank you, Endeavor. That… means a lot to me. Truly." All Might stood and walked over to the red haired man. Endeavor bristled slightly, unsure what the blonde was going to do. He stopped just in front of the man, and extended a hand. "Toshinori. Toshinori Yagi. It's nice to meet you."

Endeavor paused for a moment, looking at the blonde mans hand. So much had changed in just a few hours. In reality his life's goal had seemingly been flipped on its head without warning. But deep down, the man was a Hero at heart. Heroes came in all shapes and sizes, as was evident with All Mights two massively different physiques. He grabbed the No. 1 Heroes hand, responding, "Enji Todoroki. It's… nice to meet you too."

_End Flashback..._

* * *

Izu was restless for all of her sunday. She wasn't able to study, had barely managed to complete her physical and Quirk training regiment for the day, and she _still_ had two hours until she was supposed to head to Dagobah beach to meet All Might. She was currently holed up in her room, reading in a vain attempt to distract herself. She spared a glance at her phone. '_3:34pm… ugh.'_ Tossing and turning in her bed only served to mess up her hair… more than it already was. Laying still, her eyes rested on her dorm wall across from her bed. An odd thought wormed its way into her mind… '_I wonder… what Kirishima is doing?'_

She sat up suddenly, her brows creased. The thought vanished as quickly as it appeared. But it was unmistakable. For a moment she… '_-I wanted to go see him?'_ Izu remained motionless on her bed, still confused where the thought had come from. With closed eyes and a controlled exhale, Izu tried to summon the urge again. Part of her cringed as the word _urge_ flashed through her mind.

After nearly a minute of trying… something, she was unsuccessful. The foreign feeling stuck with her though, she wasn't able to shake off the strange sensation the thought had left her. Inquisitive mind going into overdrive, she debated a few potential solutions. '_I could go to recovery girl? To see if I'm sick… that could explain the feeling and rogue thoughts…'_ A hand went to her forehead absentmindedly. '_Not warm. Maybe it was… someones Quirk...?'_ With a sigh, Izu gave up trying to convince herself. Beating around the bush was never her specialty. '_Coming to terms with oneself was the first step in enlightenment… or something like that.'_ She couldn't remember the quote exactly.

Slumping forward to lean on her legs, she admit a few things to herself in an effort to figure out… well she wasn't sure what she wanted to solve with this. '_So. I thought about wanting to go see Kirishima.'_ She glanced at the wall their rooms shared. '_Why do… people normally want to see each other? 1) They need help with something. 2) They need to do something for them. 3) They need… company?'_ She groaned, unhappy with the three points she'd came up with. In the back of her mind, she knew each point had problems, but she was more upset because of what the points implied. '_I don't think I need anything from Kirishima. Bakugo?'_ An image of the explosive blonde came into her mind. Nothing. '_And I don't have anything for him. If I did he would come to see me, right?'_ Something fluttered at the idea of him coming to see her.

She stood up suddenly, a small shake traveled from the top of her head to her feet. '_More weirdness. What do I do? Is…'_ Her whole body was sore from her earlier training, and it clearly wanted her to sit down and relax. Going against her bodies desires, she slowly moved towards her door. '_I should ask him, right? He seems to think we're friends-'_ Izu only managed three steps towards the door before she froze for the second time in five minutes. '_Are… we friends? Being friends is an agreement between two people. He doesn't just get to decide… right?'_ A small portion of her was offended that he'd suggest such a thing without asking her first. Surprisingly, the overwhelming majority of her mind was elated that he'd even want something like that.

The gears of her mind still turned wildly as she debated the semantics of friendship, and whether or not she needed or wanted it. Almost unconsciously she slowly opened her door and meandered her way over to Kirishima's door. '_-I mean, do I even want to be his friend?'_ A hand slowly raised, ready to knock on the door. '_What's… in it for me?'_ The devils advocate within her was getting less and less convincing. '_Well I wont know until I ask. That will also help answer my earlier question about the thing I felt. Maybe they're related.'_ Her knuckles rapped against his door a few times.

She closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself for the coming social interaction, unaware of the fact that she'd knocked only moments ago. '_I'm standing a good distance away. He'll open the door with a greeting probably. Do… do we make eye contact to acknowledge each other, then I start with why I came to him? Will he think I'm rude if I just look at the floor? I don't want that…'_ A hasty hand pushed some of her bangs behind her ears. '_Okay well I can decide on the start later. What do I ask him? Should I just be straightforward and ask-'_

The door flew open. Kirishima wore a bright smile upon seeing who knocked on his door. Especially since she didn't look upset. "Hi there, Midoriya! What ca-"

"Are we friends?!" She blurted while looking right at him.

The redhead was silent as he held her gaze for a few seconds.

…

…

…

She cracked first, looking down at the ground with a growing blush. Unable to stand the silence any longer, she quickly descended into a muttering fit. Something between an apology and trying to explain herself. Thankfully, Kirishima was quick to interject.

"-If you want to be." That shut her up quick. Izu raised her head slightly to peek up at him, finally registering what he looked like. Sweaty, baggy shorts, white tanktop.

'_The white matches his hair really well…'_ Izu's mouth was slightly ajar as she tried to formulate words. None came.

Kirishima, ever the conversationalist, continued after seeing her slight struggle. "I've said before: I want to be your friend. My friendship isn't very exclusive. I like to be on friendly terms with whoever I can. If… if you want to be friends then I'm all for it!" He held up a fist to accentuate his words.

Izu fidgeted with her hands, returning her gaze to the floor, still silent. The redheads smile faltered slightly as his reiteration of his offer of friendship went unanswered. His arm slowly fell back down to his side. '_Well I can't expect her to continue the conversation. This isn't a good point to drop it though. Think. She came here wanting to confirm if we were friends or not. She must want to reciprocate then, right? If she didn't, she would have phrased her question differently. I think. I find it hard to believe that was a genuine question.'_

After some internal debate, Kirishima slowly added on in a solemn tone. "Of course… if you want me to steer clear… I will."

"No!" She extended a small hand forward, but quickly retracted it. "No. Please… don't."

Now he was just confused. '_So her question earlier was… real? She was asking me if we were friends? I made it clear that I thought so. The only thing that's left is she has to agree. So… she wasn't sure if she agreed? She came to ask me if her feelings were…'_ Kirishima's expression darkened. '_Has she never had a friend before?'_ Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he knew what he had to do. '_Leave the ball in her court. She's smart. Socially inept, maybe. But smart. She'll catch on… I hope.'_

Smile returning, he began. "Well you're the only one who can answer that question, Midoriya. You know my answer, and I don't want to push you in one direction or the other." He scratched his head. "Well… I'd be lying if I said I didn't have an option I wanted you to choose. But you know which that is."

"I… don't know what to say." She admits.

"You don't always have to." He affirmed with a shrug. "Taking time to really think over important decisions is… well... important. As lame as that sounds. So to answer your earlier question… I hope so!"

Izu was barely keeping it together. '_Why'd I go and do this to myself? I could have stayed in my room and avoided this entirely.'_ She dropped her hands to her sides, trying to reign in her breathing. Kirishima leaned against his door, patiently waiting for her to reply. If she even would. "Then… can we?" She asked, sheepishly bumping her fingers together.

'_So cute… and she said yes!'_ The redhead let himself be caught up in the moment briefly, before righting himself. "Then it's settled." He stated, smile returning full force. He saw some tension leave her shoulders. '_She really was worried about my response… even after the confirmations. That must have been hard.'_ "Friends, Midoriya?"

"Y-Yeah…" She whispered while looking towards her room.

Believing their conversation to be finished, Izu quickly excused herself. She turned to scurry off towards her room. Kirishima swore that, as she turned, he saw the edge of her mouth upturned ever so slightly. He watched her retreat inside her room, shifting to lean against the other side of his door frame. '_Well. I think that went well.'_ He rubbed his face, letting out the small breath he didn't know he was holding. '_She's certainly a pursuit. But… I think-'_ He stopped himself from going any further. '_It's not good to assume things, Eijiro! I can see that you're working on this whole friendship thing, Midoriya! Go for it! I'm rooting for you.'_

* * *

6pm on the dot, Izu heard a familiar '_Whoomph_' behind her. The kicked up sand settled, forming a small crater around All Might, who'd landed just a few feet away from her. He spotted her and aimed to touchdown closeby, so she'd immediately be aware of his presence. He'd accidentally startled her more than once before, and knew she hated it.

He saw her tense up slightly, confirming she'd heard him land. She didn't turn to face him, however. Instead opting to remain sitting, her arms were wrapped around her legs protectively. With a sigh, All Might surveyed the surrounding area. Few people were around, considering the time and day. Confident he wouldn't be seen, All Might deflated back to his normal state.

He wordlessly approached, plopping down beside her and watching the shoreline. It was quite beautiful, especially since the sun would be setting within the hour. A calm mixture of subtle oranges and dark blues. It almost looked painted by hand.

They sat in silence for a number of seconds, simply enjoying the view. Eventually the ever-vigilant All Might coughed to begin their conversation, not wanting to use too much time. "Ahem. Midoriya… how are you doing?" He asked lamely. Despite wanting to get on with the reason he was here… he still didn't know how to deal with the girl. He couldn't help but look at her slightly differently, considering what Nezu revealed to him. It still bore down heavily on his conscience.

Still looking forward, she answered "I'm… doing okay."

"I see. Have you been enjoying the classes at UA?"

"I guess. It's good training." She shrugged.

"Mmm. Well. My uh… I came to talk about something related. And…" He paused, causing her to look over at him for the first time.

'_He looks… so sad? Whats wrong, All Might?' _She meant to ask out loud, but couldn't manage. "Well I'm… ready to listen."

He sat up a little straighter, still looking forwards at the beautiful sunset in progress. "I'm coming to UA to focus on training you and your class. Full time."

'_Full time?'_ She thought, unsure what he meant by that.

Thankfully he continued after a short pause. "What is the highest level of your Full-Cowling you've been able to utilize?"

She recalled the past two weeks of class. '_Never had to go above 35% except for the apprehension tests. But even then my usage of 35% was almost certainly not required…'_ She started, "Uh… I think the highest I can realistically use safely is 40%. Not for very long, though."

All Might's heart swelled with pride. '_Shes come so incredibly far… And… Now that she's reached this point, we can begin true One For All training, as my master did for me.'_ "How much experimenting, if any, have you done with wind-based attacks?"

"Attacks? Well I can flick my fingers for a small burst, but besides that I usually avoid making wind. It's too unpredictable." Her eyes widened, suddenly remembering an important detail. "Speaking of, All Might. I've been meaning to ask you. How do you avoid the huge force your movements cause when you use higher percentages? Thats been my main gating factor…"

He scooted forward slightly in order to be in front of her. "That's actually… very relevant to what I wanted to talk about." He paused for a reaction, but she simply looked at him with a curious expression. "Now that you've got a solid understanding of control, I can focus on teaching you how to use the raw power of One For All to its fullest potential. Think of it like… tips and tricks. Or Super Moves."

Her eyes raised as he said 'super moves'. A tiny bit of visible excitement slipped out. '_This all sounds… frankly it sounds amazing. Being trained by All Might. But… what he said earlier is still bothering me. The tone he used…'_ She coughed before beginning. "Well, that all sounds incredible, All Might. But… uh… you mentioned full time?"

Izu didn't miss the surprise on his face. '_Crap. She caught on. Well… it's not like I could avoid telling her this. I was hoping to… push it towards the end.'_ All Might scrunched his face up, clearly upset. An odd feeling of worry slowly manifested in the duo. He sighed, but nonethless launched into an explanation. "Yes. I will… be working for UA full time. Meaning… I will be retiring from Hero Work soon." He glanced at her to gauge a reaction. Should he continue? Stop? He didn't know. His words didn't seem to have an effect on her, or at least not an outwardly observable one. He hesitantly continued, "The timing… now seems like the best moment… for me to do this. My injury has weakened me to the point of-"

"But! What will we do without you? How will… everything change?"

"The world does not revolve around a single person, Young Midoriya."

"Yes but-"

"No buts!" He cut her off with a wave. "Worry is normal. Panic is normal. Uncertainty is normal… and… Fear is normal. As a Hero, you can't let these consume you in the moment. Separation between oneself, opinions, and actions outside and during Hero Work is important. You understand?"

She couldn't disagree. He was right, she knew. "O-Of course."

"Good. Then you know the world will continue to turn. This is why I brought you here today. To brief you on our plan for the future."

"Our?" She questioned.

"Yes. I've enlisted the help of… some individuals. Some you know personally, some not."

She used her hands to turn herself to face All Might, sand covering her in multiple places. She paid it no mind. She sat up straighter, focusing intently on what he had to say. '_This is important, Izu. Focus. Emotions can come later. You've practiced this. Hero Work comes first.'_

All Might saw the shift in her eyes. Seeing it happen up close was… concerning. Part of him wondered what 'it' truly was. What she was doing, or what her thought process was. He'd seen her do this during their extensive training prior to her admittance to UA, and again during UA. Aizawa had recorded her… odd change of character on more than one occasion. He quickly studied her face, not wanting to pause for too long. Her eyes were slightly more open. She sat up straighter, facing him fully. She was making eye contact. Her hair was brushed back. The usual deep-seated worry that always adorned her face was gone. She looked confident and in control. Focused and determined.

'_It's… unsettling, frankly. She doesn't feel like the same person.'_ He rubbed his face, knowing he had to continue his explanation. "Well uh… I will elaborate. It is an undeniable fact that One For All is an incredibly powerful Quirk. Already you've demonstrated the ability to simply overwhelm most difficulties or battles with sheer force." She gave a curt nod, though she would never admit it out loud. "The power inside of you has grown once again from being passed on. In order for you to replace me as the pride of all Heroes, one that everyone can strive to be like, you must learn to adeptly control this overwhelming power. All aspects must be mastered."

He paused to gather his thoughts. He never liked monologuing. Izu simply stared at him with an… almost cold gaze. Confident that his thoughts were organized, he continued his speech. "As I said earlier, now that you've mastered basic control over One For All's power, we can move to teach you advanced techniques that will forge you into an incredible force to be reckoned with. To assist with this, I've enlisted the help of a few Pro Heroes. I can get you a detailed list later, but what's important is that they are all in contact with Principal Nezu."

"In contact? Does this mean Pro's outside of UA's teachers will be participating in our lessons in some form?" She inquired.

"Probably. I'm not too sure what Nezu has planned with them. I know at least one of them was specifically sought out by Aizawa. To spar with you. He also contacted me about that." He smirked at her. "Apparently you've been causing him trouble by being too powerful for his lessons." He joked.

She lowered her head in shame. With a heavy voice she responded, "My apologies. I will… be sure to correct my ways."

"No! That isn't what I meant, Midoriya." He quickly corrected. "It was a bad joke. I apologize. It would be counterproductive for you to not use the full extent of your abilities when training. That is specifically why Aizawa went out of his way to find appropriate people for you to spar with. To ensure you can actively engage with the lessons."

She wasn't entirely convinced. Her eyebrows furrowed down. Now she didn't know what to think. Before she could confuse herself any further, she asked "When… do you plan on announcing your retirement?"

"After the sports festival. As far as I know, myself and the other Pro's will have some training with class 1-A and 1-B before the festival begins. I can't say how much or with who, though. I simply don't know yet."

She nodded, absorbing and cataloguing the information. "Then… what of the plan you mentioned? A plan for a future… without All Might."

He raised both hands up in front of himself. "I will still be here, Midoriya. My retirement serves two purposes. One, I will use my power to the best of my ability to train the fledgling heroes at UA. Two, I will be saving my remaining strength to deal with any major threats… if any arrives. Although it pains me to say, it simply doesn't make sense for me to exert myself to deal with threats that can be addressed by another Hero."

"Mmm." Came Izu's simple reply. She agree'd with All Mights assessment, but nonetheless turned back towards the sunset, which was now beautifully underway. Her head rested on her knee, as she lost herself in thought. All Might also turned back towards the shoreline, seemingly finished with his exposition for the time being.

The blonde continued after a moment of pause. "You are... right to assume that drastic changes will happen. But rest assured, many talented Pro's are working as we speak to prepare for that future. We will not enter into the unknown without exhausting every possible option to increase our success. We have interesting times ahead of us, Young Midoriya. Know that I am fully confident in your abilities. I have never, for even a moment, doubted or regret my choice of successor. Confidence in yourself is important. Do not downplay your own abilities in comparison to those around you." He rubbed the back of his neck, not wanting to put more pressure on the girl than she already had. But… at the same time he wanted to reiterate a point. "Although it pains me to say, you have inherited a monumental responsibility. One For All is an exceptionally powerful Quirk, and the duty of using it and passing it on now falls to you. I trust your judgement, and you've done nothing but make me proud thus far."

"I… don't know what to say. I… promise I will continue to try and meet your expectations."

He sighed. She still had a long way to go when it came to accepting praise. At the moment, however, the results were more important than flattery. "I know you will, Young Midoriya. You've already done so well. Please work well with the Heroes in the coming weeks of school."

She nodded, still staring out at the orange sunset. It truly looked like a painting now. It was hard to believe something like this occurred naturally. All on its own.

* * *

Authors note:

Plot divergence!

Trying to use chapter names now. We'll see how that goes.

I'm kind of settled in to 2 week updates at this point. Based on how fast I write (which is slow), it works with my schedule. Might slow down a bit in the coming weeks due to finals.

~Till next time!

* * *

Thank you for all the reviews! Despite reading Fanfiction for nearly a decade now, I almost never left reviews, even for my favorite stories. That's all changed now that I see how much they mean to an author. It always brings a smile to my face to read what you guys have to say.


	11. Inevitability

'_It's too early for class…'_

Izu yawned as she settled into her desk, struggling slightly to keep her head raised. She felt… strange. Sure, she hadn't been able to sleep a wink, but she'd had sleepless nights before. This was… par for the course. Right? Feeling odd after missing sleep...

There was always a short span of time before class started where Aizawa would typically give them a rundown of the day, and maybe pick their brains with some interesting questions. It varied. Considering he was never _not_ on time, he would arrive within two minutes.

Every student had arrived by this point. Many were out of their seats, chatting with each other. Izu largely paid them no mind, although she did sneak a glance at Kirishima. He was talking with Bakugo and Sero about something. Bakugo was giving Sero a nasty look, but they did seem to be maintaining a conversation.

She wasn't able to shake this weird, hard to describe feeling. Her first thought was that it was related to the news she'd received yesterday. She certainly felt terrible and worried nonstop about All Mights retirement… but it wasn't the same as what she was feeling now. It only started after she entered the classroom. She almost felt… watched? Maybe not? Uncomfortable for sure. Which made… no sense. She understood internal sources that made her uncomfortable... but outside ones? Those were rare. Izu had visually swept the room multiple times, but couldn't find something to pin the feeling on. She didn't like it. Not one bit. Her eyes lingered for a moment on Asui, the Frog girl. She was fidgeting at her desk. She also seemed to be scanning the room, though with much less practiced stealth.

'_Unusual. At least compared to how she normally acts.'_ Izu couldn't pretend to know the girl all that well, but over the two weeks of class they'd had so far she'd pegged Asui as being one of the more stable and controlled students. Something to keep in mind.

She couldn't dwell on the mystery any longer; Aizawa had arrived and brought everyone to attention. Conversations were abruptly ended, and those standing scurried to their seats before their homeroom teacher was forced to address the issue himself. Everyone knew how terrifying that was.

"Good morning, class. Thank you for taking your seats. Classes this week will be a bit special…" He flipped to a different page on his clipboard. "-You all will be participating in personalized training exercises with various Pro's. Heroes from around the country have been hand selected to come in for this week and the next to amp up your training in preparation for the Sports Festival. Your regular fifth and sixth period classes have been canceled for this week, to allow for more training time."

With Aizawa reaching a stopping point - seemingly - the class erupted into a chorus of questions and excitement.

"We're working with Pro's outside of UA? Tailor picked for us?! UA is incredible!" Iida's booming voice earned many nods and sounds of agreement.

"How interesting. I wonder how these Pro's are at teaching…" Yaoyorozu wondered out loud.

"I imagine it would come naturally to them, don't ya think?" Ochako responded to her left.

"K-Kaminari! We get to miss Math and English!" Both of Ashido's hands shot up in excitement. The lightning bolt blonde mirrored her actions, cheering. A tear almost formed in his eyes.

A few hands were raised, wanting to ask Aizawa some questions directly. Before anything could get too out of hand, the Erasure user reined everyone in with a simple raised hand. "We'll take the next…" He checked the clock behind him. "-Thirty minutes to discuss and answer questions about the lessons near the end of today. During this time, you all must also pick a Class Representative."

A number of gasps and cheers were heard around the room. Izu was… a bit surprised to hear this. '_Class Representative? Oh, well of course our class will have a rep. I… kind of forgot about it considering no one mentioned it yet. Though I'm glad we we're given time to get to know each other before we select someone. I wonder who it will be.'_ Her gaze absentmindedly wandered around the room, imagining what each person would be like as 1-A's rep.

A stoic arm swished through the air. Iida raised his hand, and spoke up before Aizawa had a chance to even acknowledge him. "Sensei! What process should we use to select the Class Rep? Am I right to assume there will also be a Vice Rep, Sir?"

Aizawa looked slightly ticked off at Iida's urgency to speak, but answered his question anyways. "Yes, Iida, there will be a Vice Rep. You all must decide how the Representatives will be selected. I don't care what method you use, so long as the class agrees on it. Anyone who has questions about the coming lessons, come up and see me while this is happening." Aizawa waved a dismissing hand, leaving the students to select a someone.

'_Are we going to apply for the position and prepare speeches? That sounds... hard to accomplish in only thirty minutes. Though in two weeks we've learned a bit about each other I guess. I've really only "talked" to a few students. Even then they weren't real conversations. Mainly involving the exchange of Quirk information or the like. I'm certainly not running… but I have an idea of who I would select, I guess.'_ Izu glanced at the tall blue haired guy.

'_Tenya Iida. He… made me very uncomfortable on the first day. Though he's been nothing but polite since then. He didn't seem to have any bad intentions when interacting with me. I think that's just… how he is. From what I've seen. Uraraka said he's usually like this, and that he's a good guy. I… don't have anything against him. We just… don't mix. Which is fine. He does seem like he'd be a stellar face for our class. Probably.'_ She glanced over at Bakugo, trying to imagine him as the class rep left her feeling more than a bit worried.

Izu still wasn't able to shake the strange feeling she'd had since she entered class. It was faint, but _something_ was definitely off. It was… almost like an itch that planted itself outside her body. Impossible to scratch or locate, but she still knew it was there _somewhere_. Iida's loud voice eventually broke her train of thought.

"Attention everyone! We must now select a regular and vice Representative! What does everyone think about a simple majority wins, democratic voting process!"

'_Does he ever speak without exclamation points?'_ Izu wondered.

Many throughout the room murmured their agreement, and eventually Iida and Yaoyorozu were standing up to organize and collect voting ballots. Iida instructed everyone to vote for one person in the class; voting for yourself was allowed, as the ballots were anonymous.

Izu stared at the slip of paper in front of her. The intensity of her gaze threatened to burn a hole in the paper. '_Who to vote for… Probably just Iida. He, no offence intended, absolutely fits the Class Rep stereotypes. He's hard working, so I've no doubt that he'd do his duties well. And the Vice rep will simply be whoever gets second place. What if there's a tie? Probably a second vote. Well, I'll just vote for Iida.'_ She scribbled his name down and folded the slip of paper multiple times, handing it to Yaoyorozu as she made her way across the classroom.

Now that her decision was finalized and out of her hands, Izu silently wondered… '_Should I have voted for Kirishima...? He's… my friend. Is that what he would've expected of me? Did he vote for me? Wait no, he has more than one friend. He isn't you, dummy.'_ She frowned. This was completed uncharted territory, so she had no idea which way was up, down, left, or right. '_Though... I don't think Kirishima would've WANTED to be the class rep…'_ Izu glanced over at him. His eyes were shut as he laughed alongside Kaminari and Sero. '_I just… have a feeling.'_ Seeing the redhead look so genuine and happy caused her small frown to fade away. An odd half-smile replaced it.

A number of minutes passed as everyone's votes were collected and tallied. Izu simply stared out the window to her left, aimlessly scanning the horizon for something while waiting for the Rep announcement, and the eventual start of first period. A shrinking number of students were still lined up to ask Aizawa questions. She had a few herself, but was able to make basic guesses as to what the answers would be.

'_All Might mentioned UA was seeking out Pro's specifically for me to spar against. The individual they selected is probably among the group. Guess I'll get to meet them today. Wonder what kind of Quirk they have.'_ She subconsciously began wringing her hands together as her thoughts gradually drifted back to her conversation with All Might. '_Retirement, huh? What on earth will happen when the No. 1 Hero… the Symbol of Peace, steps down willingly? This is… probably better than him having to step down for some other reason.'_

She shook her head, surprised. '_What am I saying? Either way this sucks for everyone involved. The only ones… this won't suck for is Villains I guess.'_ She sighed, trying to think about something less dramatic and depressing. Her eyes searched the wide expanses of forest to her left, looking for something interesting as her thoughts wandered. '_I wonder if All Might will be teaching today. He did say he was transitioning to become a full-time teacher.'_

She saw Aizawa scribbling on the blackboard out of the corner of her eye, but he was blocking the writing. '_The results… I figure Iida is a shoe-in for Representative. I'm more interested who the Vice spot will go to. Never been one for class politics, but I know they serve an important role.'_

Their homeroom teacher stepped away from the board. Turning to face the class, he announced "Here are the resulting votes for Representative and Vice Representative. Could the two selected please come to the front?"

Izu turned her head to look at the board, but Aizawa's piercing gaze caught her attention first. Their eyes met. He was looking at her. Intently. '_D-Did I do something wrong?!'_ She quickly looked away, eyes focused on the results.

Tenya Iida - 5

Momo Yaoyorozu - 4

Izu Midoriya - 3

Shoto Todoroki - 2

Mezo Shoji - 2

Eijiro Kirishima - 1

Katsuki Bakugo - 1

Denki Kaminari - 1

Kyoka Jiro - 1

'_I got votes? What? Who-'_

The sound of two chairs being slid backwards interrupted her thoughts. Iida and Yaoyorozu both wore big smiles as they gathered at the front of the room. Aizawa nodded at them.

"These two will be responsible for representing your class. If you have changes you'd like to see, go to them. They will have access to the appropriate channels to begin discussion about any issues. They will also attend meetings about future UA events so they can relay information to all of you and help organize and plan 1-A's participation. Please treat them well."

Finished with his spiel, Aizawa turned and entered into a private conversation with 1-A's chosen representatives, leaving Izu with her thoughts once more.

'_I… got three votes?'_ She stared down at her hands, not quite sure how to interpret this development. '_Why did people vote for me over someone like Iida or Yaoyorozu? I can barely hold a conversation with others, how would I make a good representative for our class…'_ Her face slowly morphed into a pout; at the same time, however, a warm feeling bloomed in her chest. '_Three people… wanted me to represent them.'_ The beginnings of a smile began to form, until…

'_Danger.'_ Her mind screamed at her. The hairs on the back of her neck stood up. A sharp jolt of electricity flooded through her back. '_Someone's behind me. Is this what I felt earlier?'_ With narrowed eyes, Izu tensed her body and channeled Full-Cowling, not caring about control. This unmistakable feeling of dread… something was incredibly wrong.

Time slowed to a halt as her mind went into overdrive. Almost on their own, her shoulders and torso twisted to turn around to face the intruding sensation. Surrendering to the idea of 'Hero Work' Izu held so close, her mind entered true-autopilot. '_I can see all the students. I sit in the back row. Aizawa is at the front of the room. There was no extra person in the room earlier, and no one has entered from the front entrance. I didn't hear a window open.'_ Her legs tensed and she gripped her desk to stabilize herself. The wood splintered where her hands pressed against it.

Pushing off the ground to stand, she whipped to the side to face her assailant in one swift motion. Her chair flew backwards with impressive force. Not bothering to regulate her power, a gust of wind emanated out from her, blowing any papers nearby wild. It was only there for a moment, but… she was fast enough.

The faintest wisps of purple... smoke(?) were visible for an indescribably short amount of time, vanishing as quickly as they appeared.

Now facing the back of the classroom, Izu scanned every inch of the scene in front of her. '_No threats visible… but there was one. I'm sure of it. Purple. Someone was here.'_ electricity continued to arc off of her as she channeled One For All. As her frantic search yielded no results, the effects of her movements were felt. The two closest to her, Ashido and Jiro, had their hair blown wild. Both let out screams of surprise.

Her connection to One For All was abruptly ended; her powers were cut off. Turning wildly to find the source of this new threat, her eyes landed on Aizawa at the front of the room. His hair was floating weightlessly around him, and his wide-open eyes glowed a threatening red. '_Right. Aizawa-sensei's Erasure Quirk. Wait… he cut off my powers? Why?!'_

"Sensei?!" She questioned as loud as her voice would go. Panic rising with every passing moment. '_I need to tell him what I saw!'_

"Midoriya!" He answered back, looking furious. "What. Are. You. Doing? Explain!"

Like a deer in headlights, she froze. Everyone was looking at her with incredulous expressions. A million thoughts flooded through her. '_Did no one else see that? Feel that? Earlier in the class, I felt something too! It couldn't have been more than twenty minutes ago. Were these both caused by the same source? Was it a person's Quirk? Are they affiliated with UA? Aizawa didn't notice… did anyone else close to me feel anything? Should I ask? Wait… everyone's looking at me. If no one saw, how do I convince them of what I witnessed? What do I say to him, let alone explain myself to the other students?!'_

As if to answer all her questions simultaneously, alarms suddenly blared around her. The lights immediately shut off, replaced by dim red lights that gave the entire room an intimidating feel. Metal panels fell from the ceiling, sealing any access to the outside. Panic quickly descended on the class, as no one had any idea what was going on. Iida's loud voice was barely audible over the chorus of confused screams and questions. Izu, trying to take stock of the situation as best she could, looked to Aizawa for guidance.

_A few seconds earlier…_

Wind suddenly washed across the entire room. A few students let out sounds of surprise as the papers in front of them were blown wild. Immediately locking onto the source, he activated his Quirk and readied his capture tape to deal with any potential threat. He hesitated upon seeing what/who caused the disruption. '_Midoriya… she acted out?'_ He watched her frantically scan the back of the classroom. Nothing was there. '_What is she looking for? More importantly, I need to scold her for this interruption.'_

"Sensei?!" Her eyes were wide open with worry, and she wore a crazed expression.

"Midoriya!" He yelled back, looking furious. "What. Are. You. Doing? Explain!"

Hearing the UA alarm system immediately changed his course of action. '_A breach?'_ He watched the window platings fall into place. '_We're under attack? This can't be a test. Nezu has always informed teachers of surprise tests, due to the safety concerns that come with Quirks. So that means…'_

Instantly calming himself and assessing the situation with a clear mind, Aizawa was ready to take charge. He breathed in deep, ready to yell. He simultaneously steeled himself and his Quirk, canceling out the classes Quirks all at once. More than a few students turned to look at him upon feeling the strange itch that came with being affected by his Quirk.

"EVERYONE!" He bellowed. The normally soft spoken teachers shout got the attention of nearly everyone in the room. Wasting no time, he continued: "The UA security system as activated. There is a breach of some kind." He motioned with his hands for everyone to stand as he started walking towards the back right of the room. "Everyone! Stand! We are to gather as a group in a corner of the room to await pick up."

'_I'm assuming someone with a transport Quirk will come to pick us up, based on the type of defences that were deployed around the building. Windows sealed. Door reinforced. Lights replaced with infrared to detect invisibility users or illusions. I didn't get a chance to memorize the list of Pro's that are on campus at the moment, but Nezu said there was an extreme variety. Over thirty Pro Hero's were enlisted for their various specialities to help train the students this week. You know what you're doing, right Nezu?! You wouldn't trap us in here.'_

Aizawa's orders fell on many deaf ears, as only about half of the class stood up. Confusion and disorder only increased as many students scrambled towards the back of the room, where Midoriya was now standing.

"Wait! Not here! Don't gather here, Sensei!" Midoriya spoke with a frantic energy as she gestured towards Aizawa to get his attention.

'_Did she notice something? She reacted strangely only a split second before the alarm was triggered. She must know, or have seen, something important. No time to ask, I just have to trust her. She's not one to do something like this for no reason.'_

Again raising his voice, Aizawa shouted "Move the desks aside and gather in the center of the room!" A few more students regained their senses and began to move. The reality of the situation was slowly setting in… and the results weren't pretty. Iida was shouting Aizawa's orders and gesturing wildly towards the center of the room.

Slightly more confident now that no one would act out in a panic, Aizawa closed his eyes to cancel his Quirk. Second by second the class slowly organized themselves in the center of the room. He moved to the door to peer out into the hallway.

'_Even the hallway windows were barricaded? Just what is happening?'_

With almost comedic timing, all 21 people in the room were surrounded in a translucent light blue aura. Panic once again threatened to take over the class. After a number of seconds and a blinding flash of white light, all members of 1-A (and Aizawa) appeared in a large room. Aizawa immediately readied himself for battle, dropping into a low angled fighting stance, but quickly relaxed upon seeing where they had been relocated to.

The room was the size of a large gymnasium, though it was sparsely decorated. The floor and ceiling were lined with unassuming white tiles. The far away walls were occasionally broken up by monitors, computers, or doors of some kind; but were nonetheless white. The room had a clinical feel to it, despite being the farthest thing from a medical room.

'_The UA bunker…'_ Aizawa realized. He'd only been here once before. All around them were various groups of students huddled together in nearly identical manners to 1-A. Quiet, slightly panicked chatter descended upon all students in the area as they took stock of the events that just occurred. Every few seconds another group of students and teachers would suddenly materialize in an empty spot.

Aizawa immediately located Principal Nezu only a few dozen feet away. He was standing next to a tall blue haired woman in an elaborate kimono-esque costume. She had her eyes closed and was surrounded by a similar blue aura to the one he saw only a few moments ago. Aizawa didn't take any extra time to analyze her. Judging by her proximity to Nezu, she was probably the one responsible for teleporting the class into the bunker.

Aizawa fast-walked over to the Principal after requesting Iida keep the class in place and calm.

"Nezu." He halted his approach as he got within arms reach. Bending his knees slightly, he leaned down to talk to his short leader. "What's the situation?"

Nezu responded by simply holding up a finger. The small mammal didn't miss a beat as he continued to list off locations and person numbers to the blue haired heroine. A few moments after each location left his mouth, a new group of students or teachers would materialize in an empty location somewhere in the large room they now occupied. This continued for another minute, until Nezu stopped with his listing. The blue haired woman opened her eyes, turning to look at the rodent.

Still with a panicked expression he added. "We undoubtedly missed a few. As the teachers gather, I will ask who had any students out of their classrooms. All cameras are being monitored, so I will come to you immediately if any other students are found. As if on queue, UA teachers and staff began to flock around the principal. With a nod and a bow in Nezu's direction, the woman extricated herself from the forming group, hovering only a few feet away just in case.

After a quick sweep of the room, Nezu found that all UA staff were present in the expeditiously formed group. The large number of Pro Heroes present fanned out among the classes to help instill a sense of security, and ease the nerves of the undoubtedly confused student body. For any onlookers, it was fairly easy to pick out the different grade levels of UA. As expected, all third year classes were calm, composed, and focused. They looked ready to move at a moments notice. The second years exuded a similar level of preparedness, with only a few outliers.

The first years, 1-A included, did not fare so well. UA's freshmen classes were unanimously the loudest of all the student groups. Many were shifting around, and had to be asked to sit still by the Pro's nearby. Izu observed the situation with a keen, watchful gaze. Her eyes lingered on the huddle of UA teachers near the center of the room.

'_Should I tell them what I saw? Aizawa listened to my warning in the heat of the moment, but that may have just been a precaution. Plus… I didn't see much. A nondescript cloud of purple smoke. And even then it was only there for a fraction of a second. Did… did no one else really see anything? Or feel anything?'_ She looked around at her classmates. As her eyes landed on the expressionless frog girl, Izu's eyes lit up.

'_She was acting strangely earlier, just before the alarm and that purple thing appeared.'_ Trying to remain low to the ground and inconspicuous, Izu slowly shuffled her way over to the frog girl. Apparently Izu wasn't as stealthy as she thought, seeing how Asui turned towards her the instant she got close.

"Midoriya." Her face remained totally neutral. It was… a bit off putting.

"H-Hi Asui…" Izu started. '_Crap. I didn't think about how I would even ask her about this. Won't I just sound crazy if she didn't see anything...?'_

Asui watched her classmate with careful eyes, counting the seconds as they ticked by. Eventually, sensing Midoriya was stuck, she interjected.

"You came to ask me something. Right? Gero." Midoriya gave a small nod in response. Asui shifted to sit cross legged, facing towards Midoriya. "What did you want to ask?"

"Well… earlier in class, before the alarm sounded, I uh…"

"You felt something was off?" Asui questioned.

"Yes! So you did feel it too?" Izu silently cheered at the small victory. Her assumption was right, Asui was acting strange earlier.

"I sensed... something was wrong as soon as I walked into the classroom this morning. I thought it was just me, so I didn't say anything." The frog girl paused, looking intently at Midoriya. Izu shrunk back slightly, still not sure how to feel about the other girls expressionless gaze. She was very hard to read. "You felt a similar feeling, and you came to confirm it with me. You looked like you had more to say. Right?"

'_Well… she is right. Jeez can she read my mind?'_

"Y-Yeah. The reason I used my power in class was because I felt something behind me. That's what caused the wind. I turned around and saw some… pu- odd… something odd." Asui tilted her head to one side, nodding patiently, but didn't provide a follow up reply. Izu sighed at this. "So I take it you didn't see anything of note?"

Asui raised a finger to the edge of her mouth. "I didn't. Nothing I could put into words. I just… had a feeling something was off. I trust my instinct. Gero" She confirmed.

Izu simply shrugged. '_Considering I don't know what I even saw, I… I can't risk telling anyone what I saw. Well… any student that is.'_

Izu turned to look towards the group of teachers huddled near the center of the large room. All UA staff were still engrossed in a conversation. She couldn't see the principal, but was sure he stood at the center of the group. They'd only been here for a few minutes, and the chatter of the entire student body had quieted thanks to the efforts of the Pro Heroes and representatives from each class.

Izu turned back to the frog girl. "S-Sorry to bother you then. I'll be sure to let the teachers know what I saw as soon as is appropriate."

"You weren't a bother." She said straight faced. "Telling the teachers sounds like a good idea, especially if you did see something." Asui spared a look over to the group of teachers, only to spot Aizawa walking over with a determined urgency in his step. "Or they may come to you." She nodded towards the advancing teacher.

Izu gulped, turning to see what Asui meant. Her eyes instantly met with Aizawas. No doubt about it, he was headed right for her. Izu immediately dropped her head to look at the floor as tons of worrying thoughts flooded through her.

'_Is he angry with me because I acted out? Did the teachers figure something out? Am I in trouble because of what I saw? Wait… does Aizawa even know if I saw anything? He did listen when I warned not to gather in an area. He must know that… something happened… even if neither of us know what exactly DID happen. What has Aizawa told the other teachers... Does Nezu know? What will Aizawa ask of me…'_

Aizawa walked around the circular perimeter of class 1-A. "Midoriya." He said as he strode into range. "Would you accompany me for a minute?" He stopped and stared down at her, waiting for her answer.

She swallowed again, while her eyes shifted back and forth looking for some possible escape. Finding none, she nodded towards the ground, rising slowly. Izu, thinking she was in trouble, rather dejectedly followed behind her homeroom teacher, shoulders sagging the entire way.

Asui watched the entire exchange with bated breath. She hadn't been able to speak up. '_Theres nothing I could have said to… change anything for the better.'_ Asui released the breath she'd been holding, coming out as a long sigh. '_Wow. Watching Midoriya makes me tense. She wears her… complicated tangle of emotions on her sleeve. She might not be the most audibly expressive person ever, but she certainly has a lot going on… inside. I didn't want to pry so early on in the school year… so I waited. This display is making me doubt whether I should have tried to talk to her sooner.'_

* * *

The teacher-student duo didn't walk far, merely out away from the large groups of students so they could talk in private. Aizawa turned towards Midoriya with an inquisitive look on his face. He opened his mouth to speak, but stopped after he took in her expression.

'_She's scared?'_ He paused. '_Maybe not quite scared, but I don't have time to decypher her right now. This is important.'_

"Let me begin by saying that you're not in trouble, if that's what you were thinking." He raised both hands up, palms facing forward, in an effort to pacify the girl.

Izu raised her eyebrows. '_That is what I was thinking.'_ She shuddered. '_Am I… that predictable? Asui could read me, too.'_ She gave a small nod in reply.

"Then… tell me, Midoriya-" He paused for effect, narrowing his eyes. "What did you see in class?"

She was shocked. "H-How did you-?"

"Just before the alarms. You reacted to something you saw in the classroom, didn't you? I need you to tell me what you saw." He bent his knees slightly to get more on her level. There was more than a foot of height difference between them, so he didn't want her to feel intimidated, especially when talking to an authoritative figure like himself. It was important that he got the information from her as quickly and succinctly as possible.

Aizawa swore he could almost see the gears turning in her mind as she tried to process what he'd said. He scanned the girl from top to bottom, trying to get a read on her body language. '_Reserved. Defensive. Worried? She clearly has something to say, but isn't confident that it's what I want to hear. It… is certainly possible that's true. She could've seen nothing useful, and panicked in the moment.'_

"Well?" He asked.

She ceased her anxious hand movements, looking up at him from under her curtain of hair. "I uh… saw purple smoke."

His heart skipped a beat. '_This… this means too much. Not good. I need to tell Nezu.'_ Before his emotions could show on his face, he stood up and turned away from Midoriya. She didn't need to see _him_ panic.

He took a deep breath to calm himself. "Anything... else?" He asked in a slow voice, trying hard to keep his tone from giving anything away about his state of mind. Appearances were important.

'_There… is something else. But I don't know if this will be of any use. I should include it, though. I can't possibly know what could be of use to the teachers and their investigation. If… if the information is useless then they will just ignore it.'_

"Y-Yes actually, though I don't know if this is what you mean. It's… not something I saw."

'_Spit it out!'_ Is what he wanted to say. His heart was thumping restless energy. '_She doesn't know the implications of what she said. But… I need to know if there's anything else before I go tell Nezu.'_ He swished his hand in a circular motion, signaling her to continue.

"E-Ever since I stepped foot in the classroom… I felt awful. It was this… terrible mix of things. I felt watched, and horribly anxious." She paused, realizing something important. Izu looked down at her feet, shuffling around in embarrassment. "M-More anxious than usual! Something was abnormal. I-I can't describe it."

He appreciated the extra assertion that something was abnormal… but feelings weren't too important in this situation. Nodding at her, he needed a quick way to wrap up the conversation. Turning farther towards the group of UA staff, he told her what to do.

"Return to your classes huddle and listen to the instructions of the Pro's, Midoriya. You… you may be asked to meet with more UA staff later, to confirm anything you saw during this incident. If so, you will be contacted later." Finishing his spiel, he half-waved at her and walked away.

A bead of sweat rolled down Aizawa's head as he marched towards the group of UA staff. 'She_ couldn't have made this up. Purple smoke is too much of a coincidence. It must be them.'_

Left standing on her own, Izu waited a few moments to watch her teacher leave. Confident he wouldn't turn around and continue their stressful conversation, she turned back to face her class. Her eyes met Asui's, and Izu looked away in surprise. Asui's eyes looked… expectant.

'_Does she want me to come and sit with her again? We… didn't discuss anything like that before hand. Will she be offended if I don't? We… well we aren't exactly friends. At least I don't think we are. Plus she's on the opposite side of the class huddle. I'd have to, very obviously, walk around the entire class to sit next to her. People would… notice that right?'_ As she slowly approached the group, she glanced at Kirishima. He was sitting next to Bakugo, who looked pissed, and Kaminari.

'_Do I go sit next to Kirishima? Is that what… friends do? Ahhh I don't know! Is it wrong to go and sit next to no one? On my own? Or just next to people I don't usually talk to…'_

Deciding to go with what she thought to be the path of least resistance, Izu walked to the nearest edge of the circle. Away from both Asui and Kirishima, she planted herself down. The ones closest to her, the Avian-headed Tokoyami and the masked Shoji, simply nodded at her as she sat down.

Failing to return the gesture, she quickly lost herself in thought. There was too much to think about right now.

* * *

The normal school-wide class schedule resumed after only fifteen minutes. All students were assured that the entire campus was scoured, and cleared, thanks to the Pro's currently on campus. Many were also aware that, with so many teachers and Pro Hero's so close by, they were probably safer than most people in the world currently.

The UA teaching staff had gathered in a meeting room. They sat around a U shaped table. Many of them wore worried expressions; a stark difference from their usual confident, calm demeanor.

"So Kurogiri has coordinates inside a UA classroom, is what we're saying?" Present Mic summarized.

"It seems so, if what Izu Midoriya said is true." Nezu confirmed.

"I don't see how it can't be true. She identified what she saw as purple smoke, and said she felt like she was being watched." Aizawa added. "With no prior knowledge of Kurogiri, her description seems like solid confirmation."

"So what you're saying is…" Midnight's tone was dark, and laced with worry.

"-There's a traitor among us…" Mic finished.

Nezu remained silent, simply closing his eyes as the thought on everyone's mind was voiced out loud.

"Mic! You can't be serious!" Cementoss quickly interjected. "We can't suspect our comrades or students. That would be heinous!"

"Then how did Kurogiri get coordinates INSIDE UA for his warp?!" Mic asked, raising his voice slightly. "Someone had to have let him in at some point."

"There was only one confirmed teleportation site, right? The one in 1-A's classroom." Snipe asked the group.

"As far as we know." Nezu confirmed, still with his eyes shut. His small hands (paws?) were clasped in front of him, on top of a stack of papers.

"Then we need to come up with a plan of action. Work directly with the police if we have to." Ectoplasm surmised. "We cannot let another break in like this happen. We were able to downplay the seriousness of this intrusion to the students and Pro Heroes… but if it happens a second time we won't be so successful on damage control. Especially if things get violent."

"Ectoplasm is right, Sir" Aizawa looked directly at Nezu. "We need to actively start working against this 'League of Villains' group, especially since they've demonstrated the ability to attack us whenever they want." He paused. "As a matter of fact, with coordinates inside the main building, they don't even need to put anyone in danger to disrupt our day to day activities. We are at their whim, it seems."

With the frightening truth of Aizawa's words resting on the minds of all present, Nezu spoke up. "It is… undeniable that the League was granted access to UA's campus in some form. The Pro's we have on campus at the moment... were screened beforehand, and none had free access to the main building, so most of them can be ruled out right away. There are a key few I will look into personally. However… this breach likely occurred more than a week ago. It is extremely unlikely that the breach required to obtain the coordinates was a recent occurrence." Quiet murmurs drifted throughout the room, but they knew better than to speak up.

Nezu continued after a moment. "Cementoss is correct, though. We cannot suspect our brethren. As such we will rule out all possibilities before addressing such a concern. Does anyone object?"

A chorus of denial confirmed all teachers responses. Nezu spared a glance at All Might, who'd been largely silent the entire meeting. He looked… especially upset. '_Given the timing of all of this, I imagine it's quite tough for him. He and I are the only ones in this room who are aware that he will be retiring soon. No doubt he is regretting his choice, and dreads the reactions of the rest of the faculty. Once they learn that the infallible No 1. Hero is resigning, no doubt morale will fall. The same can be said for the students. We will need to be extremely careful these coming weeks and months. UA's morale, and for a larger part, that of the whole country… must be taken seriously if we are to maintain our organization and efficiency. We must also address the problems immediately in front of us. The breach. The coordinates. I checked the UA's log of alarm triggers; none occurred around the time period when the coordinate were likely acquired. Someone indeed let them in, not triggering the alarm.'_

All Might met Nezu's gaze for a moment. Both were indeed worried about similar things. Sensing now was a good idea to wrap up, Nezu adjourned the meeting for the time being. With a promise to continue conversing all possible leads after further thought, the teachers left with solemn expressions. At Nezu's request, All Might stuck around for a bit longer to talk.

As the large door shut behind the last exiting teacher, Nezu let his pent-up sigh release. "Today is a terrible, terrible day."

All Might simply grunted in confirmation.

"You were silent for most of the meeting. I know… you certainly have a lot to think about, but I do want to know your thoughts on the situation. Your input is certainly invaluable considering your overwhelming experience."

"Y-Yeah…" All Might rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I apologize for not speaking up earlier… but it is as you said."

"Of course. I do not blame you. Then…"

"The traitor, if there is one, is likely a teacher or a student of 1-A." All Might finished for Nezu with a painful bluntness.

"I came to the same conclusion. We will have to check if any other student classrooms experienced a similar 'purple smoke' phenomenon. We can discreetly interview the student body to check. But such a large scale information hunt... will take a while."

All Might nodded in agreement. "Then for now, 1-A will need to be monitored."

"Are you able to contact Tsukauchi? His assistance will be invaluable. Plus, he ought to be able to shed light on the situation, considering the sighting of Kurogiri. Tsukauchi's investigation into the league has been going on for quite a while." Nezu rubbed his face in frustration. "Despite what I said to them, I will begin investigating each of them individually. The rest of the staff I mean." Nezu's eyes were downtrodden. He hated having to hide things from his colleagues, regardless of whether or not he was justified in doing so.

All Might nodded, feeling a small bloom of warmth in his heart. He noted Nezu's choice of 'them' when addressing the UA faculty. Nezu trusted him completely, and it meant a lot to have that trust be reiterated in this troublesome time.

The rare, cynical, part of All Might's mind piped up for once. '_Nezu just knows that the Symbol of Peace couldn't be a traitor. Given my position... I would've had many other, far larger opportunities, to betray hero society. None of which I did.'_

With their conversation seemingly wrapping up, All Might had one unanswered question on his mind. "What of the students training with Pros? Will that still happen? I was hoping to be able to instruct Midoriya during school hours, and would hate for that chance to be missed." He wore a somber expression. "Every day counts now."

Nezu looked up, smiling slightly. "I believe it will be good to have that continue. The importance of morale cannot be overstated. Plus, the students will gain invaluable experience, comparable to that of an internship under Pro's." His smile broke out into a more devious looking one. "And… I don't think we could keep Usagiyama away from Midoriya if we tried. She desperately wants a chance to interact with your successor."

This was, at least temporarily, enough to clear up All Mights worries. He grinned at Nezu's statement. The eccentric Bunny Heroine was one of the few who could hope to match Midoriya's current level of speed and power.

"Indeed." All Might agreed. "I also think that she will be… an incredibly good influence on Midoriya. Although my talks with her were admittedly brief, Usagiyama's enthusiasm was clear. Plus… having a strong female hero to use as a role model will undoubtedly be good for Midoriya see."

Nezu laughed, catching All Mights meaning. "Hah, that is certainly right. Midnight is unquestionably a great hero, but her and Midoriya couldn't be more different. In both personality and Quirk."

Nezu looked up towards the ceiling. This private conference room had no windows unfortunately. Speaking more to the room than All Might, Nezu finished with "The plan to have the students train with Pros will continue. I think it will be invaluable for them. Hopefully, this will help spur the growth of many."

* * *

_Four days ago…_

"Of course! Thank you for your agreement and cooperation. A faculty member will get in contact with you soon in order to inform you of your temporary residence on campus, and timing of various events."

Snatch, the gruff Sand Hero, simply nodded in response. He was glad their lengthy, but necessary, conversation was over. He was looking forward to being able to train the next generation. Especially those who managed to get into UA.

With the Sand Hero gone, Nezu looked down at the various stacks of paper in front of him. '_The next scheduled interview is with…'_ His eyes roamed down the list, eventually stopping on a name he dreaded. "Oh lord hav-" He was interrupted by the door flying open with a crash.

Rumi Usagiyama, or the Rabbit Hero: Mirko, entered into his office looking like she owned the place. Her outfit was a far cry from her usual Hero Costume. She was wearing a simple white shirt and jeans that ended just below her knees. Her long straight white hair reached down to the middle of her upper legs. Due to the unique shape of her feet, she wore a pair of custom made large white high heels, making her seem far taller than she actually was. In truth she stood just between five foot two and five foot three, depending on the day. Not including her ears, of course.

"Nezu! Nezu Nezu! How good to see you again you cute little thing!" Usagiyama called out in her usual boisterous volume. The Rabbit Heroine strode over to his desk, completely ignoring the seat he gestured towards. Leaning forward onto his desk, she reached out a hand to touch the top of the UA Principals head.

Time slowed as Nezu debated moving away or reacting to her outstretched hand. '_I can't upset her too much… she's too volatile. Calm Nezu, calm. There are times to be diplomatic, serious, and… cute?'_ He mentally rolled his eyes, barely believing that he'd thought such a thing. '_She's the ideal candidate to train Midoriya, aside from All Might himself. I need this conversation to go perfectly. Manipulate her if I have to.'_ Deciding to let himself be pet, Nezu steeled his nerves and grit his teeth.

She pushed down on his head, ruffling his fur and squealing with delight. "Ahaha! You're so soft Nezuuuu~! No wonder you don't let people do this more often, they'd never be able to stop!"

"Yes indeed. Thats truly the reason why I don't let this happen." He said through a clenched jaw. He glared at her, his mouth halfway between a scowl and smile. Their eyes met breifly, and her dumb grin grew larger.

"Ahahaah! You're always so much fun to tease. Only when others aren't here though, right? That's your rule I take it. You _never_ let me do anything like this when others are here to intrude. I'm so glad we have this understanding, Nezu" She swooned, leaning further onto his desk to the point she was almost laying on it. Her large ears brushed against a few tall stacks of files.

Worried she was going to knock over some stacks of paper, Nezu pushed back against her hand, glancing at the various tall towers of paper. She wore a brief look of surprise, but quickly saw Nezu's reasoning. Smile returning, Usagiyama straightened herself, still standing right in front of his desk.

"So Nezzzuu~..." She cooed his name with a sultry twist, as Nezu was silently thankful that he wasn't human. The Rabbit Hero certainly was provocative, able to get a rise out of nearly anyone it seemed. His mind briefly recalled some of her interactions with the less conversational types. Like Endeavor, Best Jeanist, or Edgeshot. They had no idea how to interact with Usagiyama's personality type. "Why'd you call me in today? It's not everyday I get a personal summons from someone of your stature." She gestured towards him with both her hands, wiggling her fingers as she did so. Slapping two hands down onto his desk, she jumped up, planting her rear on the edge of his desk and turning to look at him with innocent eyes.

'_She was one of the few Pro's who wasn't told why we were calling her in. I… was sure she wouldn't show up if we told her the reason in our summons request. However… I'm confident I can convince her in person. The hard part of getting her to show up is already complete.'_

Nezu sighed at her choice of seat, but continued after only a moment of pause. Jumping right in, he started with "Well, Mirko, I've called you in today to request your assistance. We-"

"Oh ho ho. Being formal now, are we? And really! YOU need help from ME? Whatever with?"

Nezu continued without missing a beat. "-We're starting a program in which various Pro Heroes will be temporarily contracted by UA to provide our students with more specialized training."

Her seemingly endless smiles and joking attitude instantly vanished, replaced with a bored disposition. Her back slumped, and she seemed to visually deflate. "Oh." Mirko looked towards the door.

'_Now to play with her ego.'_ Nezu quickly spoke again, knowing he had to keep her attention. "There is a particular student that I feel you are uniquely qualified to train."

Her ears flinched, angling slightly towards him. She narrowed her eyes, twisting back to look at him. "Unique how?" She questioned.

"Besides All Might, we don't have anyone on staff who can even remotely keep up with this students speed and power."

Mirko tilted her head to one side. "Flattery won't get you very far with me, you should know that."

'_Though being compared to All Might was certainly a nice compliment. Well done, Nezu.'_ She thought with a smile.

She continued after a moment of pause, voicing a question. "So why not just use him? He seems more qualified than me in those fields, don't you think?" Her voice was clipped, the suspicion she harbored was clear.

"We are seeking two specialized Pro's per student, so that the students don't adjust to a singular fighting style. If you accept... you will be tutoring three, maybe four students in combat and style."

She shifted her hips, turning to face Nezu as best she could with her legs hanging off the side of the desk. "Why bring up one student to me then? How is he different than these others you mention?"

"She."

"She?" Mirko questioned.

"Yes. And I bring up this one student because she is… unique. Frankly, her abilities are overwhelming compared to her classmates."

"Physical abilities? Must be if you're asking me to train 'em" She inquired.

"Yes. In truth most of your time will be spent with her."

Mirko removed a hand from the desk, moving it to her chin. She straightened her back slightly. "Okay, fine. I'm _slightly_ interested."

Nezu smirked. '_Got her. I know your backstory, Usagiyama. I know you already see the similarities. Now… for the finishing touch.'_

"I knew you would be! Now I'd like to-"

"Let me see her. Actually, give me information on all the students I'd be working with. I won't just work with anyone, students or not." She interrupted, glaring pointedly at him.

"V-" Nezu paused for a split second, making sure he knew the list of students he'd selected. "-Very well." He opened a folder resting on his desk and dug into its contents, thumbing through the various pages, he occasionally pulled one out. "These are the students I expect you'll work with. Though the list may change." He added that last part just in case.

Mirko looked at each of the papers in front of her. She pointed to the one that pictured a short green haired girl. "This is the problem child you were talking about?"

Nezu was slightly irked at her phrasing, but nodded nonetheless.

Rumi smiled at the picture of the girl, a different kind of smile than her previous ones directed at Nezu. Much more genuine. Nezu watched Mirko's expression with a practiced stealth, trying to read her as best he could.

She paid little to no mind to the other two sheets of paper Nezu had placed out, instead opting to pick up Midoriya's sheet and start reading.

'_I've no doubt that this isn't a complete student file, but hopefully they left me enough information to get a feel.'_ She focused on the girls picture. '_This girl is the one that no one can match up to? Looks are deceiving. She's labeled as… "timid and nervous". But her peers apparently describe her as "a force of nature". Hah! What a riot.'_ Her eyes jumped from personality descriptions to that of the girls Quirk. '_Energy Augmentation. I feel like I've heard of something similar. But it gives her enhanced physical abilities? Interesting. That's… especially impressive if Nezu thinks I'm needed to train her. There aren't many that can compare to me in speed or power. Well, in terms of physical output that is. Those damn emitter types like Endeavor can certainly pack a powerful figurative punch.'_

Nezu wanted to say something, but stayed his tongue, opting instead to see Mirko's reaction to Midoriya's generalized file first and foremost. She continued reading down the file, absorbing all the information she could, until she finally finished. To look slightly responsible, Mirko did spare a glance at the other two students files. Some students named Kirishima and Tetsutestu.

'_Though Nezu did sneakily add that more students could be added on. But… he assured that most of my time would be devoted to this girl. Is she really so different from her classmates?'_

Finally deciding to speak, Mirko asked "Do you have footage of her in combat? I want to see the real deal. Then I'll decide. Plus… there IS pay involved, right?"

A devilish smirk appeared on Nezu's face, but he managed to hide it quickly. '_Perfect! I didn't even have to request that she take a look at recordings. She asked herself! Good job, Midoriya.'_

"To answer _both_ your questions… Of course! " Nezu said in a delighted sing-song voice.

* * *

It was quite odd to return to a normal day of classes after such a strange first two periods. Many of 1-A were, understandably, quite tense after the mornings events. However as class after class passed, eventually rolling over into lunch, the promise of specialized training with Pros inched ever closer. Everyone was excited to see what kind of lessons and training this would involve.

Not that training with the UA pro's was lackluster or anything. They knew a lot, and were qualified teachers in every way. But being given the chance to work with Pros that had hand-picked skill sets, tailored to compliment training individual students, was undoubtedly not an opportunity every first year got. UA was truly able to flex its reputation when it mattered.

All of class 1-A entered the lunch room before dispersing. Some rushed over to grab good seats, others opted to get in line for food sooner, while many simply stood around talking; waiting for their friends from other classes to arrive.

Izu had just finished condensing her tray of food into a brown paper bag, and was now moving towards one of the cafeterias far exits. After requesting, and receiving, permission to eat on the roof, that's where she ate her lunch essentially everyday. She was almost out of the large, noisy room, when she heard someone call her name. It was quiet, so much so that Izu wasn't entirely sure it was real; the noise of the cafeteria didn't make it easy to discern.

She did stop in place though, knowing better than to keep walking if someone did happen to call out to her. Turning around answered her suspicion: Asui was standing a little bit away with a tray of food, giving her an expectant look. Asui began to walk over, now that Midoriya was aware of her presence.

'_She called out to me? Is this related to what we talked about earlier today? The break in? And damn, I almost made it out the door.'_ Izu turned to face Asui fully as she approached.

"Gero. Hello Midoriya."

"H-Hi, Asui. What… did you need?" Izu gave an awkward half wave, a gesture that Asui couldn't return due to her tray occupying both hands.

"Would you like to eat lunch with me?" She took another half step forward, tilting her head towards an empty set of tables.

Izu gave her bag of food an odd look. She'd already ditched her tray. '_Would I look weird eating in the cafeteria without a tray? I could go grab one… but I'd have to wait in line again. Also wait, I need to answer her question. Do I want to eat with her? She… wants to eat with me apparently.'_

"Um. I don't usually like eating with crowds…" Izu responded. She wasn't lying… but part of her knew she was just trying to take the path of least resistance. It was much easier to reveal these convenient truths with her hair down. If people could look her in the eye, they'd almost certainly see the guilt behind her eyes, and question what was wrong.

"I understand. I also prefer smaller social groups. We could eat alone, just us, if you want... Gero? I've wanted to talk to you again since that time with the rest of the girls in the communal dorm space."

This was a surprise. '_She does? I didn't think I made the best impression back then…'_

Izu stopped to think for the first time since the frog girl approached her. Weighing the various options, potential outcomes, and after being a bit more honest with herself, Izu came to an answer. She did want to eat with Asui. So far she seemed very competent and observant, both in hero lessons and as a person. If she was going to say yes to eating with anyone, besides maybe Kirishima, Asui was a good choice.

"S-Sure? Where would… you like to sit?"

* * *

Izu slowly unpacked her brown bag of food, feeling extremely out of place. All around her people ate off trays. '_Why'd I have to go and ditch mine…? I mean there's no way I could've known Asui would approach me… but still.'_

Asui's eyes jumped between Izu's hands, and trying to catch a peek at her expression. '_She's clearly uncomfortable about something. I could tell she was hesitant about agreeing to eat, but Midoriya looked… rather content with her decision. It seemed genuine. What's wrong now?'_ It was brief, but Asui saw Midoriya glance at some of the nearby students. Her eyes darted between the food placed in front of them. '_Does she not like her food? No. That can't be it, she has similar food items to them. Is it her tray? She was leaving the room when I stopped her, so she didn't have one. Hmm.'_

"One moment, Midoriya. I'll be right back." Asui excused herself before they got settled in and began eating. She made her way over towards the long lunch line. Izu watched her out of the corner of her eye, curious what the frog girl was going to do.

'_Is she going to get more food? She'd have to wait in line again though, right? The lines long… does she want me to wait to start eating until she gets back? That… will take a while but I guess I have to wait. I don't want to be rude to her…'_ Izu was a bit shocked to see Asui slink past the line of students. Occasionally someone would say something to her, Izu could see Asui would say something, and the student would let her pass. '_She's skipping the line? No wait, people are letting her pass.'_

Izu had to hold her mouth shut as the reason for Asui's departure became clear. The frog girl reached the front of the line for food; grabbing a tray. After this, she simply ducked under a railing to exit the food line with nothing on her tray.

'_She got a tray? Why? She has one.'_

As Izu wracked her brain to come up with an answer to Asui's confusing actions, the frog girl returned sooner than expected. She wordlessly placed the empty tray besides Izu's food items, then took her seat without missing a beat. Izu was speechless. She stared at the girl across from her, unable to determine _why_ she'd gone and got her a tray.

'_I wouldn't have been able to do that. Trying to skip to the front of the line, even with good reason… too much confrontation.'_ Izu looked at the tray with a frown.

"Thats what you were nervous about, Gero? I hope I didn't make an incorrect assumption. I didn't want to offend y-"

"No! No you didn't… assume wrong. I was surprised, is all." Izu looked down at the food in front of her, hiding her face. "T-Thank you."

Asui smiled in response, breaking her chopsticks apart in preparation to eat.

The two ate in silence for a few minutes. Izu had moved her various items onto the tray with a sheepish expression. The food was good, evident by the content expressions both wore. Izu wasn't sure if the silence was a positive one or not; either way she wasn't going to be the one to break it. Path of least resistance, as always.

Eventually Asui broke the silence. She did say she wanted to talk more, afterall.

"I wanted to thank you for your actions during the lesson we had together."

Izu's eyebrows lowered, her face becoming one of disbelief. '_-Lesson we had together? The only time we've worked together was during the bomb defusal exercise. And… we didn't really work together. I was…'_ She searched for the right word. '_...angry? I don't know what I was feeling, but I know I ruined the lesson. You four didn't get to participate at all. Is she joking?'_

As if sensing her shift in feeling, Asui continued before Midoriya could fall further down a metaphorical rabbit hole.

"After you left, we had a class wide discussion about the group roles we self-assigned, and our decision making process. The class agreed that you made the correct choice; engaging the enemies on your own." Asui shrugged her shoulders. "Though Aizawa would've liked to see the match last longer, he conceded that your choice was correct."

Unable to hold herself back, Izu asked. "How was what I did… even remotely the right choice?" She wore an incredulous look. She didn't understand. Couldn't understand! '_Didn't I just deny my teammates the chance to practice?'_

"Shoji, Jiro, Sero, and myself. We all… aren't exactly best suited for direct combat. Maybe Sero is a little bit, but he acknowledges that he leaves a lot to be desired. We're much more suited for information gathering, environmental control, and capture, Gero. I believe Aizawa-sensei did this on purpose to see how we would adhere to group roles. Pairing four supportive styles, with an overwhelming combatant, like yourself, really tested whether or not we could conform to a standard group identity." Asui finished her analysis, but still sensed Midoriya wasn't convinced.

She hesitated, unsure if she should continue her justification. Over-explanation can also make people uncomfortable, Asui knew that firsthand. But... seeing how disturbed Midoriya was after the match, and the fact that she left early - meaning she didn't hear everyone's praise - was enough in Asui's mind to continue.

"The four of us agreed, by the way. None of us hold anything against you, Gero. Well... there's really nothing to even hold against you if we wanted to."

Izu didn't know how to react. '_It's true I missed the classes rundown of the various tests that day. Oh right, I'm supposed to mention that to Aizawa today. That's what he said back then. But… was that really the conclusion Aizawa and the class came to?'_ A realization struck her. '_Asui wouldn't lie. I… can't imagine her lying. Even then, what reason would she have if what she's saying is true?'_ An unfamiliar, hard to identify, feeling of warmth blossomed inside her.

"I… I'm flattered. I don't really know what to say, though. This is my first time hearing about… the class' discussion." She looked down to stare at her food.

"I'm glad I... got the... chance to tell you." Asui said through bites of food.

Realizing she'd stopped eating, Izu continued after a blush forced its way to the surface. The warm, fuzzy feeling had still yet to leave. She dug into her sandwich. PB&J was always her first choice.

As they ate, Izu was unable to stop herself from analyzing the contents of their previous conversation. '_Asui… didn't have to bring this up. She didn't have to seek me out. This was what she truly wanted to do when she asked me to eat, right? She's… very nice. Going out of her way to… make me feel better.'_ Her blush persisted, and she was once again thankful that she kept her hair long enough to hide her face at times.

"Thank you, Asui. I…" She searched for the right words, still with her head down. "That really meant a lot… to me."

"Gero!" Asui croaked with a crooked smile.

'_Her cheeks scrunch up near her eyes in a really cute way…'_ Izu noticed. '_Is it because of her frog-like mouth? She definitely has trouble with facial expressions.'_ Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Asui grabbed her attention again.

"You don't have to thank me. It's the right thing to do. You did great in our team exercise, so thank you. We're all here to learn from each other, contrary to what some may think."

'_Contrary? What does she mean by that?'_ Izu voiced her thoughts only a second later. "Contrary? What do others think?"

The question made Asui pause, which Izu noticed immediately. The hestiation was short lived however, as Asui explained herself only a moment later.

"Well, there's... been some debate between a few members of the class about whether or not the Hero Program is a 'team effort'. Some think so, some don't. Aizawa wouldn't take a side, instead he advised us to come to our own consensus."

Izu simply hmmed in response, hoping she'd continue. She had an idea in her head about who would think this wasn't a team effort.

After gathering her thoughts for a moment, Asui continued. "I guess… well in my opinion neither option is explicitly _wrong, Gero_. There are very successful heroes that fit both molds. I don't want to assume where you would land on that spectrum, Midoriya, but I'm confident that you can win when you want to. Sorry if this is rude, but I feel like you're doing yourself a disservice by not embracing that part of you more."

Izu had heard that sentiment before. Her mind flashed back to Bakugo. He'd said the same thing on more than one occasion.

Flustered, Izu just said the first words that formed in her mind. "I've been told that before. I… don't know how to feel about it."

"Have you tried it?"

"Tried… what?" Izu questioned.

"Your best."

Asui's words hit her like a train, while her head and stomach felt queasy. '_Have I tried my best?'_ Her mind raced over all her actions at UA thus far. '_My grades are nearly perfect… but that's not what she or Bakugo meant… I know that.'_

"My best…" Escaped her mouth. She was in disbelief, not quite sure what to think at the moment.

Asui shrugged. "Just a thought. Maybe mention it to the Pro's we'll be training under later today? They've all been through hero programs, so maybe they can give you some good insight."

"Y-Yeah…" Izu's mind was a mess. Thankfully, the bell rang overhead, signaling the end of the lunch period.

Asui glanced up at the blaring sound, wincing slightly due to its volume. "Well thats our sign to clean up. I enjoyed our time together, Midoriya. We should do this again sometime."

"Yeah." Izu repeated as she cleaned up her food, still a bit scatterbrained.

"I mean it, Gero. Will I see you in the lunchroom tomorrow?" Asui asked.

That struck a chord with her. This was... a meaningful question. '_She saw me going to leave the cafeteria, and also acknowledged that I'm usually never here. So this question…'_

The ambient noise of the cafeteria grew as everyone began hustling and bustling about to clean up. Izu knew she had to answer quickly.

"S-Sure. I'd… I'll be here again tomorrow?"

Asui gave an enthusiastic nod, then moved to clean up her food. Izu did the same, muscle memory from middle school taking over as Izu cleaned her tray, placing it on top of the ever-growing stack on top of a nearby garbage can.

Only one period remained between now and their specialized training with Pro's.

'_What will that be like? What kind of Pro's will UA have gathered? Also… how many will there be? I know I saw at least twenty in the giant room we were in earlier this morning. I'm… excited to see. And...'_

Walking towards her next class, Izu clenched her fist in front of her. It briefly glowed with green electricity.

'_From now on… I'll try my best.'_

* * *

Authors Note:

Omg. 11k words for HALF OF ONE DAY. I promise I'm going to speed things up soon. The story needs to progress, dammit!

Also, rewriting the first chapter is my next focus. The content will remain the same, so you wont have to reread it. I think I've gotten better at dialogue and descriptive language usage over the 2 months I've been writing this. So... the first chapter reads really bad in comparison to some later stuff (IMO).

Rumi Usagiyama is not an OC. She's a manga character that hasn't gotten much screen time. I'm very excited to flex peoples powers and write the coming training arc and soon to happen sports festival!

Please leave your thoughts and comments!

~Till next time!

* * *

Review responses:

Tiguylerobot: Yeah he's not all good. But I hope to try and emulate some of the redemption he's gone through in the manga in a way that makes sense for this story.

DschingisKhan: Hey look! Asui!

Guest: Thanks! I hope you enjoy.


	12. Chaos on The Concrete Playground

A/N: Switching how I depict characters thinking. When it's obvious whose perspective I am writing under, I'll simply use Italics. If there is a swap in perspective, I will specify whose thoughts are being written with "so-and-so thought", or something similar.

This is regular text.

_This is someone's inner thoughts._

This is what _emphasis_ looks like.

* * *

Controlled insanity.

That was... one way to describe the current scene.

The two first year hero courses, classes 1-A and 1-B, were currently undergoing their four-period long training session with the specialized Pro Heroes UA employed. Eight of these sessions were scheduled to take place over the two weeks leading up to UA's sports festival. Fridays were still reserved for unique in-field simulation exercises (like villain combat or rescue missions).

The sounds of yelling, furious screaming, grunting, alongside many enthusiastic argument-filled conversations between Pro's and students were currently underway. Projectiles, debris, and… the occasional person were seen flying around every which way with breakneck speeds. The Pro's were making sure to utilize every second to the fullest; their determination and fervor quickly spread to the students of both classes once they got over the intimidation factor that came with training directly with REAL Pro Heroes. Training with UA teachers was a little different, as each class had acclimated to their personalities and Quirks.

But "intimidating" was… certainly an accurate term to describe the Pro's actions. They pulled no punches, and spared the students no harsh language or criticisms. Special care was being taken to minimize injuries however, considering how many days this training was scheduled to go on. Recovery Girl was on site, as always.

The specialized training took place outside. The exceptionally large flat area had been custom made by UA's resident architect, Cementoss. It spanned the size of multiple football fields in two directions, which converged to form a square on the opposite diagonal. The large area was checkerboarded with alternating squares of cement and grass. This setup allowed for nearly any terrain to be created at a moments notice, while the grass plots allowed for softer places to spar. Landing on concrete over and over was bound to wear anyone out eventually. Currently the cement squares had been molded into various pillars, walls, and sloped shapes to allow for the widest variety of combat scenarios to be tested.

The singular goal of these sessions, as many students were now quickly realizing, was combat training. Combat was unavoidable as a Hero; even rescue Heroes would occasionally have to step in to stop a Villain. Every Hero needed to be competent in close-range, hand to hand combat at a minimum. The overwhelming majority of Quirks were physical in some way; either an augmentation to the body and its functions, or an extension of the body. As such, it was expected that every Hero have at least basic mastery over hand to hand combat, and various submission techniques, as that would be the most common solution to subduing the average person (or villain).

Emission Quirks, like Endeavors, were far less common than most would believe. The roster of high ranking Heroes created a… skewed representation of the actual distribution of Quirks and their relative strengths throughout the world. Emission-type Quirks allow the user to function without putting themselves directly in the line of fire. But… no Quirk starts out strong, or fully mastered.

It wasn't fair, but it was reality. Once emission Quirk-types were mastered, they provided the user with extreme versatility in combat. This being, many of the high ranking Heroes possessed some form of ranged combat. If not, they made up for it in some other way. Usually by being exceptionally above average in some other facet of their power.

A prime example of a Hero with no direct ranged combat capabilities, who embodied the "exceptionally above average" logic perfectly, was Rumi Usagiyama: The Bunny Hero, Mirko.

While anyone could tell at a glance that the young Heroine was in exceptional physical condition, her true power lay dormant in her unassuming legs. Due to her wearing custom-made footwear, no one would know that her feet were that of a mutant thanks to her Quirk. Mirko's Quirk, Bunny, had been honed over two decades of training. After realizing early on that she could not become the same overtly versatile combatant as an Emitter type could, she got to work on fostering the strength she did have: speed, and power. The power residing in her legs was easily capable of shattering the thickest of concrete or asphalt; she had also demonstrated, on more than one occasion, that she was able to cause even the strongest of metals to bend under the force of her leaps.

Combining this with her undeniable technical skill and strategy, Mirko had proved herself to be an incredibly overwhelming whirlwind of physical force in combat. Able to move at blindingly fast speeds, kick with enough power to annihilate modern infrastructure, and utilize incredible mobility - a kind of pseudo-flight in urban environments - it was no wonder why she quickly became the highest ranking female Hero in Japan. Many of her fans hailed her as the "Female All Might". Although flattering, she knew that her abilities paled in comparison to the feats of strength she'd witnessed All Might achieve.

As for the students training…

Currently forty students, all in their gym uniforms, and thirty-two Pro Heroes were spread out among the massive training field. Many predetermined groups had been formed, with students pairing up with others who had similar skill sets, so they could be trained in all manner of ways by the Pro's whose powers they stood to gain the most from. The groups varied in size; those with more unique Quirks, such as Momo Yaoyorozu's _Creation_ or Setsuna Tokage's _Lizard Tail Splitter_, were receiving one on one lessons. The largest group, the 'Melee combat' group, had nine students and was being instructed by seven different Pro's.

The Pro's attire varied drastically. Some donned their regular costumes as if this were another day of Hero-ing. Those with costumes that could be considered more specialized or… _eye-catching_ opted to come in their own choice of workout clothing. Usagiyama's costume fell wholeheartedly into the latter category. Nezu _insisted_ she wear something school appropriate. Usagiyama pondered the request in the moment, her mind wandering to Midnights typical choice of clothing. Deciding it wasn't worth arguing, she wore rather nondescript clothing. Brown knee-length shorts and a white tank top to match her hair and ears, while simultaneously showing off her rather muscled arms.

Izu was currently lagging behind Usagiyama as she followed her to a rather isolated corner where All Might waited. He stood as tall as ever, observing the wonderful chaos of students training with a hearty smile. He opted for his silver age costume, minus the cape. He was informed by Nezu as to which Pro he should look out for once training began. He recognized the name, but couldn't match it to a face. He quickly put two and two together as he saw a darker skinned woman with long white ears approaching. He spotted Izu following a bit behind; she was unabashedly distracted by the undeniably impressive displays of power going on all throughout the training field.

All around her Quirks flew wildly. She was paying particular attention to the class 1-B students, as this was her first exposure to their powers. Sure she'd seen her sister class out and about on the UA campus before… but this was her first time seeing them use their Quirks in earnest. Her hands twitched with nervous energy.

_I wish I could take notes…_

Needing something to occupy her hands for the time being, she simply grasped the cloth of her shirt, fiddling with it as she walked in Usagiyama's trail. Izu kept a particular focus on the group of nine students.

_They're all close range fighters. Shouldn't… shouldn't I be there too?_

Izu heard Usagiyama and All Might exchange greetings, but her mind didn't register it until they had both turned toward her. Usagiyama had said something to her, but missed it. Her mind was elsewhere. Turning to face them, she realized she didn't even know how to address the woman. She'd yet to exchange any words with her; the Bunny heroine sought her out as the students were paired up with pro's and simply motioned for her to follow. Seeing as she was the only Pro who approached her, she obliged.

Usagiyama was giving her an expectant look. Her hands were balled into fists and rested on her hips. Seconds ticked by as no one said anything. Finally, All Might broke the silence with a cough into his hand. He shot Izu a stealthy glance, his eyes were a soft mixture of careful worry, and a gentle fondness. He'd been in this situation one too many times. Leaning down to whisper in Mirko's ear, he whispered something.

Izu turned to one side, no longer facing them. She held her head low, ashamed that All Might had to help her _already_.

The woman's eyes perked up, her face morphed into a knowing smirk as she now understood the awkward silence.

She took a few steps towards Izu, extending her hand. "I'm Rumi Usagiyama. Or Mirko. You can call me whatever you want. Rumi sounds fine though, right?" She turned towards All Might. "You too, Mr. Might! Call me Rumi, if you would. All these formalities are just beating around the bush anyways, right?"

_Does she believe my name is 'All', last name 'Might'?_ Yagi thought. He let out a quiet chuckle, quickly realizing she wasn't so dense. _She simply knows that my name isn't common knowledge. But… 'Mr. Might'? At least she's… courteous enough to address me in a formal manner. I'm undoubtedly older…_ He studied his fellow Hero from his vantage point behind her.

Izu glanced at Rumi's outstretched hand.

_She certainly isn't as intimidating as… other people I've had to meet. She… seems nice. Rumi was her name..._

After a moment of consideration, she couldn't bring herself to shake Rumi's hand. "I'm… Izu Midoriya. Nice to… meet you?" She said quietly, her voice barely audible among the chaotic sounds of combat.

Rumi retracted her hand, seemingly unfazed by the girls refusal to shake. "Well Izu, me and this huge lug have been assigned to train you over these eight days." She finished with a snort, laughing at her own joke as she jabbed a finger backwards at All Might.

Izu tensed as Rumi used her first name. Only her mother and… on occasion All Might used her given name. No one else was close enough to justify it. It felt… strange to hear from the mouth of this new person. Shaking her head, she quickly tried to calm herself. Turning to once again face the pair of heroes, she nodded at Rumi.

Rumi's smirk grew. "Great! Why don't we jump right into it then? I saw some recordings of you in action, but they were all during some class events. Controlled environments with rules and whatnot, you feel me?"

_I don't… but okay? Also wait, recordings?_ Izu wondered. Thankfully Rumi continued her shpiel.

"Why don't you and All Might begin our little training session with a quick spar? The furball told me you've already received some instruction from him, right? Plus, I want to see you in action for myself!"

_Furball? ...Nezu?_ Izu had to stifle a chuckle. All Might was less successful, as he let out a noticeable chuff at Rumi's usage of the nickname.

Still a bit wary of the… eccentric woman, Izu shrugged her shoulders and nodded slowly. She turned towards All Might, hoping he would take the lead in the conversation next.

Thankfully, he did. "Well it's certainly been a little while since I've given Young Midoriya any _real_ combat lessons, but I'm perfectly willing to give it a shot. Midoriya, what say you?" All Might extended a hand towards her, giving her the metaphorical floor to speak.

_What do I think? I… I have so many questions!_ She glanced around at the others around her. Everyone, Pro's and students alike, were engrossed in their training. Some were battling, some going over technique, while other simple stood deep in conversation. _Everyone's so focused…_

She took a few steps towards All Might, who knelt slightly to be more on her level. She spoke quietly, asking; "How… how far should I go?"

All Might responded in an equally hushed tone, but responded almost immediately. "As much as you feel comfortable with, Young Midoriya. You… should remember your goals. _Try to win._ You should always try to win."

The tips of Rumi's ears twitched. Her elongated, rabbit like ears effortlessly picked up the quiet conversation going on next to her. She pretended to scan the horizon, hoping neither of the two would think she overheard. _The plot thickens, Izu Midoriya. Nezu gave me a basic rundown of… you. But you're already surprising me. Show me what you can do!_ Rumi's grin only deepened, still having never left her face.

"Um. Okay." Izu said, still uncertain. She turned back to look at the large group of nine students. The seven pro's were currently engaged in vigorous looking combat drills. She spotted Kirishima and a few other of her classmates among the group. _That group is for close range fighters, right? Why… why am I not in that group?_ She bumped her fingers together, trying to find a way to phrase the question on her mind.

All Might followed her gaze, quickly connecting the dots. "You're wondering why you aren't among your peers?"

She silently nodded. Toshinori straightened himself a little, reaching up to rub his face in consternation. He debated back and forth with himself, trying to decide how he should explain this.

_Deep down she must know the answer… right?_ He looked at each student individually. They would certainly make great heroes, he had no doubt. _But… there is a devastating difference here, Young Midoriya. Even… even among Pro's. If Nezu was unable to bring Ms. Usagiyama on board, he would have had to look overseas to find another suitable hero…_

Knowing he couldn't wait too long, All Might began speaking before he'd fully formed his response. "The UA staff… Aizawa, Nezu, and I… thought it would be best if you trained with a more specialized group of Pro's." His eyes darted to some of the other students currently undergoing one on one training. It wasn't a perfect comparison, but he'd take what he could get. He gestured in various directions as he spoke. "You can see some of your fellow classmates also have smaller groups. Young Bakugo is currently paired up with Young Todoroki. As well you can see Setsuna Tokage from 1-B is individually paired with a Pro that suits her needs rather well."

Izu searched and found the groups mentioned, looking over across the large field. _It's true, somewhat. The green haired girl… Tokabe? She's training alone with a Pro. Bakugo and Todoroki are training with… Endeavor._ Her eyes widened slightly. She studied the man as best she could from this distance. _Todoroki had some… interesting things to say earlier. What was that all about? Plus he knew things…_ She shook her head, trying to clear her mind again. _Stop! It's not good to focus on stuff like that right now! Focus on the task at hand, Izu._ _But… they have unique powers that set them apart. I'm… so similar to some of my classmates in terms of style, right? I guess we're different in terms of… power then. Enough so to warrant a different group for me?_

Still unsatisfied, she turned to face All Might. "We uh… can begin then?"

Rumi, still listening in, noted the lack of… well lack of _everything_ in the girls voice. _She's not the least bit intimidated? Sure she's sparred with him before, supposedly. But this is All Might we're talking about! I can't name a single person, hero or villain, who wouldn't be hesitant about entering a sparring match with a literal living legend._

In one graceful motion Rumi jumped backwards, landing on the edge of the grassy square. All Might and Izu now stood alone in the center of the square. They moved to stand a respectable distance from each other.

All the training groups were spread out enough that each group had at least one tile of space between them and the nearest group. The extra space was mainly to serve as a barrier to keep the different exercises of each group separate; especially considering the volatility of some Quirks. Izu and All Might were… a perfect example of why the extra space was required. But… it would soon reveal to be nowhere near as much distance as some would need.

All Might watched her with a careful eye. It truly had been a long time since he'd sparred with his successor. Izu visibly relaxed as she readied herself to fight. She seemed to… almost deflate. Her shoulders sagged forward slightly, she bent her knees, and her head was down.

After a few seconds of composing themselves, Izu looked up and exchanged a nod with All Might, signaling the start of the sparring match. All Might watched her expression carefully.

_Her face shows nothing but focus. Nezu and Aizawa have mentioned seeing this… change in her once she truly begins to be engrossed in her training. I too have seen it in the time before UA, but never to this extent. She's certainly changed. It... doesn't always happen, but when it does…_ He thought back to Aizawa's words, remembering her sensei's almost frightening look of excitement. "_When she focuses, anyone watching is in for a treat."_ All Might smiled.

Izu channeled her Full Cowling to 35%, the highest she could comfortably maintain for any reasonable amount of time. Green electricity surrounded her body, flaring up at first before it slowly settled. It calmly coalesced, evenly spreading around her body.

All Might quietly tapped into his own reserves of power, though his gave no visual indication. It's true that had greatly weakened, and continued to do so, seemingly daily. Due to the nature of One For All, Izu's prime would undoubtedly be stronger than he was in _his_ prime, but he'd be damned if the girl would so easily outshine him here and now. Rumi was the only one close enough to feel the unique effects of being in range of One For All's raw power. A tingling sensation ripped through her body, her smile vanishing instantly. Her instincts were screaming at her. _Flee! You need to run!_

Rumi took a half step backwards, her mind reeling at the sudden overwhelming feeling of terror. Her adrenaline spiked as her bodies Fight or Flight response automatically kicked in. She quickly regained her senses, but the logical part of her brain struggled to maintain control. _There's no real danger. Be calm._ She told herself. Planting a foot behind herself, she braced for the coming fight. Her smile was long gone, instead replaced by a rare serious and determined look. There was no way she'd let her internal struggle make its way to the surface. She needed to watch this match.

Neither One For All wielder noticed, but the extent of their power was felt, however minimally, by all those around them, despite the distance. Many turned to stare at the two individuals, distracted from their own activities. Neither had made a single move, but the tension in the air was so thick you'd have sworn you could reach out and touch it.

Izu made the first move.

With a quick step forward, the lunged off her other leg, rocketing forward with breakneck speed. A small crater was left in her wake, dirt shooting behind her. All Might shifted his stance to lean on his back foot, his palm open in front of his chest. He bent his knees, prepared to catch her assault head on.

Seeing no reason to change her approach, Izu extended her arm in tandem with her lunge, electricity flaring around the length of her arm. She punched directly into his open palm.

All Might grunted, a blast of air extended behind him. He remained stalwart, absorbing her blow with little effort. He clenched his hand, hoping to grip her arm, but she pulled back before he could grasp her. He watched her carefully, seeing the electricity intensify around her legs.

_She's going to move…_

Sure enough, Izu leapt to the left, kicking up mounds of dirt as the grass gave away. All Might stuck his other arm out straight, expecting to clothesline her. He felt a woosh of air as she ducked below easily, the height difference working to her advantage.

All Might began to turn around to face her, while Izu had already leapt off the ground behind him. He felt a gust of wind hit the top of his shoulder. He reflexively threw up a hand to catch her kick aimed at the back of his head.

He caught her kick effortlessly. Izu blanched, wearing a bewildered expression. _He wasn't even looking at me!_

Seeing she had nothing to kick off of, All Might had plenty of time to wrap his hand around her leg. Now facing her, he was astonished to feel a powerful kick to his forehead.

His hand opened in surprise, and Izu launched off his shoulder, landing a good distance away.

_She tensed her leg, briefly increasing her power to pivot off it and kick me. What the hell, Young Midoriya!_

The kick had dealt virtually no damage, as All Might had more than enough time to massively increase his power surrounding his head to absorb as much of the impact as possible.

However… virtually no damage was not the same as no damage. The fight had only just started, and unbeknownst to the two combatants, the spectators of this fight gasped. Many wore incredulous expressions, sharing similar thoughts. _She landed a kick on All Might!_ Rumi's grin had returned full force.

This would be a fight no one wanted to miss.

All Might rushed forward, knowing he had to attack for this to be a real match. He was upon her in no time, throwing a massive fist in her direction. Izu brushed past it, trying to run diagonally behind him again. With a quickstep similar to dancing, All Might jut his hips out, crashing into her shoulder as she tried to pass by.

Before the momentum could send her flying away, All Might reached out with blinding speed to follow up on his successful hit. In a flash he gripped her leg, hoping to swing her in a wide arc.

Izu kicked her leg out in response, sliding her foot out of her sock and shoe. Successfully evading his grapple once again, Izu flew to the side from his hip strike. She somersaulted in the air, landing a bit haphazardly, but remained standing. All Might dropped her red shoe, paying it no mind.

The seconds ticked by. He could see her frantically scanning her surroundings and him, looking for some kind of opening. Deciding not to let her plan, he advanced again, launching off the ground with a grace unbefitting of the mans large stature.

Catching her off guard, he shot a punch forward. She leaned back, hoping to catch the blow and retaliate. Both her hands shot up, but she wasn't quick enough. Her hands were carried backwards into her torso by the force of his punch. She went sprawling backwards, landing on her side with a thud.

_He's still too quick for me. It's… it's so hard to read his movements. I barely have any time to react to his advances even if I have full view of him. Plus he reacted to my kick without even seeing me! Am I missing something?!_

She leapt off the ground, kicking up dirt, and ran straight forward, ready to dash to one side of him again. All Might's eyes shot down to her legs.

_She'll go left._

All Might baited her in with an early swipe of his hand, and Izu dashed to the left. He stuck his arm out straight again, this time catching her upper body. She crashed into his arm, falling down to the ground with a groan.

Many watched with bated breath. A few even took tentative steps in their direction. The fight was such an odd sight. The two combatants couldn't have been more mismatched. The massive, hulking form of All Might standing across from the short, almost frail green haired girl. The bout was quickly going more and more how many expected it to. Was the first hit just a fluke on All Mights part?

Seeing her disoriented on the ground, he pounced on the opportunity. Quickly kneeling, All Mights fist crashed down towards the girls stomach. Unable to get up in time, Izu lurched both her hands forward to catch the blow. She poured more power into her arms, briefly increasing to 40%.

The downward strike landed, and a shockwave of force traveled through her arms. Her elbows and shoulders cried out in pain. Her arms bent slowly as she strained against the downward force of his blow. He wasn't letting up. For a brief moment they struggled against each other, but his huge fist inched ever closer. She felt her upper arms spasm and she overexerted herself. The awkward position gave her no leverage.

_I have to escape. Now!_

She grit her teeth from the strain. Her left hand quickly found the ground to her side. She managed to find purchase, and threw herself to the side as best she could. Sliding out and scrambling to her feet, she caught the aftermath of All Might fist colliding with the ground. Bits of dirt and grass flew in an arc around his fist, which left a noticeable indent in the ground. He turned, still kneeling, and grinned at her. She shuddered, fearing what would have happened had she not gotten out in time.

Seeing her still in range, and gawking in disbelief, he threw out a backhand in her direction. Snapping out of her distraction, she brushed her palm against the left of his arm, leading the blow above her head. She jumped into his still kneeling form, shooting a knee towards his chin. He brought his other hand up, stopping her knee dead in its tracks. Her momentum still carried her over his left shoulder. She reached down, pouring more power into her hand. She gripped his shoulder, fingers digging into his muscle - rather painfully- so she could maneuver. All Might grimaced. She used the anchor to begin to swing behind him.

Seeing no way to react other than this... All Might stood up. His speed gave her no time to respond, and she had nothing to guide herself with besides his shoulder. His bulk caught her leg as she tried to pass over him; forcing both it and her arm upwards suddenly. Izu tumbled over him, and was forced to let go of him to catch herself as she fell to the ground once again.

All Might spun around as Izu got her feet below her. He threw his hands forward, fingers splayed, to shove her backwards.

_She needs to stop getting in close if she sees that I can keep ruining her balance…_

His face morphed to one of unfiltered surprise. His eyebrows raised in confusion as he felt her hands interlock with his. She knelt slightly, electricity arcing aggressively, and pushed. _Hard._

Due to the angle caused by their height difference, and how close they were standing, All Might would be toppled over at this rate if they wrestled with strength. She had every advantage from this position. He moved a foot back to try and stabilize himself, however…

Right as he moved to lift his foot she growled, the electricity around her arms exploding with life. She surged forward with even more power, pushing against his hands. All Might couldn't stop himself from falling backwards, so he kicked his leg out. His huge leg found both hers, sweeping them out from under her.

They both relinquished their hold on one another, opting to lessen their own falls instead. Izu landed a hand on the ground, making her descent much more manageable. All Might shot his hands behind himself. With his size, he wouldn't be able to turn himself fast enough to land facing the ground.

Izu recovered first, leaping to her feet in an instant and rushed over - maintaining her increased power.

_I can't compete with him at 35%. I'll need to try 40% all over, and go from there._

All Might hit the ground right as she arrived at his side. Seeing her golden opportunity, she took it.

Electricity flared violently around her leg, and her kick was nothing more than a blur. The wind howled as a torrent of harsh gusts exploded outwards in an arc around her leg. The blow found his side, and she heard him cough as her foot continued forward. Her strike rang true, and the Symbol of Peace went flying, tumbling roughly as he skid on the ground. In truth her foot ached, it felt like she'd kicked a steel barricade as hard as she could.

Finding a moment to briefly relax and plan, Izu huffed as her mind whizzed. Her eyes never left her mentors form. All Might was on his feet as soon as he stopped moving, though he did have a hand holding his side. He leaned left, then right. With a shake of his head, he met her gaze. For a split second she was worried she'd gone too far, but he quashed that instantly as he shot her a thumbs up.

A small part of her brain squealed in glee, while another was irked that she was missing her right shoe and sock, but it was no more than an annoying, fleeting afterthought. The rest of her remembered what she was doing, what she was still in the middle of. Her expression didn't change despite her excitement, and she began to tentatively walk a wide arc around her predecessor.

The fight wasn't over yet.

* * *

"Okay okay, you two have made your point." Rumi called out, cupping her hands over her mouth to make sure they'd both hear.

The sparring match between Izu and All Might had continued for three minutes after she landed her kick. All Might noticeably ramped up his speed and power, as if switching to a higher gear. He was serious. He answered all her attacks; deflecting, blocking, or countering all attempts she made from then on with a calculated precision. He did seem more reluctant to directly attack her after further increasing his output, though. But he advanced on her constantly, always keeping her on the defensive. She occasionally found kinks in his defences, and tried to capitalize on them to the best of her ability, but always came up short.

She was downed over and over as the fight progressed to its end. Many of class 1-A paused their own lessons to watch the ridiculous sparring match. They were astonished. Maybe "watch" wasn't exactly what many were doing. "Witness" seems more appropriate. The sheet speed at which the two combatants were moving and exchanging blows meant that only the battle hardened Pro's, and some of the sharper students, were able to accurately discern the true nature of the fight.

What many students did see, however, was the seemingly untouchable Izu Midoriya being forced to the ground again and again. Of course, she was going against the unbeatable Symbol of Peace, but still. It was an odd sight to see her of all people struggle at something that didn't involve speaking or socializing.

Those in 1-B were _even more_ perplexed. _Who was this short girl who could seemingly compete with All Might himself?!_ Was the common thought spreading throughout the majority of them.

All Might relaxed his posture, and was silently thankful for the end of the fight.

_I still need energy to maintain appearances for the day… Not to mention I'm expected to do this for three more days this week. Plus today isn't over…_ He raised a hand to his forehead as he approached his successor. _Am I in over my head? I already feel exhausted._

Izu was on her feet in an instant. Her breathing was labored and harsh, her face was flushed and would likely develop more than a few bruises. Many of her landings hadn't exactly been voluntary…

"How are you, Young Midoriya?" All Might had to stop his hand. It was gravitating towards his side, which still ached. Thankfully she hadn't kicked his injured side…

"I'm… fine." She huffed as she dusted herself off.

_She's frustrated?_ All Might narrowed his eyes, trying to read her. _She's still in her… focused state. I'm still not sure how to describe it, but there's definitely something going on here. I have feedback for her. I… was able to discern a lot of her weaknesses in that short fight._

All Might turned towards the approaching sound of footsteps. "Well, Ms. Usagiyama? What will you have us do? Nezu recommended I give you more… decision making leeway during these sessions, considering my past experience with Young Midoriya."

She cocked an eyebrow at the huge man. _Second time he's mentioned his history with her. I know not to pry too much into his history, considering how secretive he is. But come on man! You gotta stop dangling that infront of my face!_ Internally she scowled, but kept a smiling outward expression.

"How considerate of you!" She had to resist rolling her eyes. "How about I give it a go with Izu here, then we can compare feedback on her performance."

"That's fine. Right, Young Midoriya?"

She nodded towards Rumi, still wearing a neutral expression. "Let's continue." She brought her arms up infront of herself, settling into a basic fighting stance.

Rumi eyed her with a hungry expression. _Hoh… No hesitation! You can continue? Good. Lets see if you've learned anything from that fight just now. Will you let me take advantage of the same thing All Might did?_

Rumi paused briefly as she watched All Might excuse himself to the edge of the grass square, a hand going to her chin. _Am I expecting too much of her?_ She wondered. _She's undeniably powerful. She could probably defeat 90% of the professionals here without a second thought. Plus Nezu mentioned no student can compete with her, but I expected no different after watching the fight just now. But can she support that overwhelming strength with intellect... or battle strategy? Whatever it's called._

Rumi reached into her pants pocket and pulled out a small metal device, pressing a button on it as she jumped a few feet into the air. Her custom footwear hummed to life, revealing hardened metal armor around her toes and heels. The space covering the middle of her sole was made of a flexible cloth armor, to allow her to take full advantage of her immense flexibility.

She glanced at some of the other student-Pro pairs that were currently sparring. Some had taken advantage of concrete constructs to alter the terrain they were fighting on. _Should I ask cementoss to make something?_ She considered it for a few moments, but eventually decided against it. _I should fight her on the same terrain as All Might; to really see if she'll try anything different. Obviously I fight much differently than All Might, but it wouldn't be right to change the terrain just yet._

Her eyes met Izu's, and they exchanged a nod.

Without so much as a word, Izu launched forward, maintaining her previous intensity. Electricity flared to life around her whole body as she aimed to close the distance between her and Rumi as quickly as possible. Her mind was processing everything several times faster than normal, but Izu couldn't help but feel _something_ was off as she neared the bunny heroine.

_She isn't reacting? She hasn't… she hasn't moved a muscle! I'm nearly upon her. Does she think she can move out of the way fast enough even when I'm at 40%?_

Izu blinked. Rumi was gone. She stopped dead in her tracks as she arrived where Rumi was standing. She looked around furiously for her, but saw nothing.

_Where is she?!_ Izu was dumbfounded. The most perplexing thing that she couldn't wrap her head around was… _There's no crater! The dirt where she was standing, is still perfectly intact. There was no rush of wind either… How can she move at such speeds without any repercussions to the environment?_

Caught thinking, Izu felt a huge force crash into the back of her head. Instantly her head met dirt. _She jumped?!_ She stood up immediately, seeing Rumi standing arrogantly only a few feet away. _That… didn't hurt too much. Not comparable to All Mights strikes at least. That might just be because I'm using 40% Full-Cowling, but I shouldn't take any more blows like that._

Another kick came suddenly, this time just below her shoulders. Izu stumbled forwards, but didn't fall.

_Wha- What?! She was in front of me! How… how was she able to strike me from behind?_

Rumi responded by, once again, landing a blow to Izu's back _again_. She stumbled forward more, trying to catch her breath.

_That strike winded me. I don't know how, but she's able to attack me from behind repeatedly, even when I had seen in front of me only a moment before. Is this something from her Quirk? Can she teleport?_ _No. No… she's a rabbit. Her abilities are physical. Figure her out!_

Another kick came, this time to her right side. Izu grit her teeth and steeled herself. This time she was able to lean into the left leg and stop herself from getting moved. Her leg buried itself partially into the dirt, driven in by the transferred force of Rumi's kick.

_Her attack's dont hurt me that much, but if I can't ever dodge or counterattack she'll wear me down eventually._

Another kick.

_No! Stop thinking! Watch her! Don't lose sight!_

Izu closed her eyes and exhaled. She quietly focused more of One For All's power into her top half. Her senses were raised to even greater heights, though she did her best to ignore the splitting headache that came with such exertion. Her head throbbed, but as she cleared her mind she could sense…

_A tingling sensation on the back right of my neck…_

Izu whipped around and threw her hand up. With bent knees she caught Rumi's attack head on. Izu couldn't help but smirk as she saw the rabbits surprised expression. Not wasting a moment, she gripped her elongated foot and moved to slam her into the ground…

Only to receive a _MUCH_ stronger blow to the side of her face.

_Right. She has two legs._

Izu was forced to release Rumi's foot, else all the force of the attack would explode through her jaw. She staggered slightly, taking a few steps to steady herself and let the kicks energy travel through her. She heard Rumi land softly somewhere nearby.

Shaking her head, Izu huffed in frustration. _I've still yet to land an attack back. But that reaction gave me a key hint. You're fragile, Rumi. One blow is all it will take for me to win this battle. You don't have All Mights, or my, level of durability. Not even close._

Izu whipped her head around, finally landing eyes on Rumi. Their eyes met, and Rumi smiled.

"Well done. You were able to… make me get serious much faster than I expected. No time to chat, though, we're still fighting!"

Izu said nothing in response. She couldn't form words right now. A small trickle of blood made itself known, dripping slowly from her nose. Her head was throbbing from being enveloped in a 45% Full-Cowling all this time.

For the first time since their fight began, Izu was able to follow Rumi's motions. _She leaps in a diagonal, aiming behind me._ She shifted her body, tracking Rumi all the while. _She puts a lot of power into getting behind me quickly, then rebounds off the ground to strike me in a blind spot. What will you do now that I'm following your movements?_

Rumi wore a rare, serious expression. _I wasn't joking, Izu Midoriya. You certainly don't realize yet… how much of a compliment that was. In my eight years of fighting crime, I can count the number of times I've had to fight in earnest on one hand._ The beginnings of a smile tugged at the edges of her lips. _Since we aren't fighting with our lives on the line, this is a rare opportunity for me, too! Against you, I can really let loose! Don't let me down now, young one!_

Rumi leapt forward, just as Izu expected. However, since this was the first time Izu was actually witnessing Rumi's approach, she'd have no idea that this was _very_ different from her previous attacks. Rumi kept herself much closer to the round as the rocketed towards the green haired powerhouse. She extended a long leg forward to draw her attention away.

It worked. Izu once again extended a hand to catch Rumi's kick, completely oblivious to…

Dirt struck her in the face, blinding her. Izu instinctively moved her hands to her face to shield from any further attacks. _She kicked dirt at me with her other foot!_

Rumi's attack hit her square in the stomach. Izu was unprepared, and hadn't tensed her abdominal muscles. All her confidence in her durability seemed for naught. This attack _hurt_.

Izu fell backwards. Rumi used her falling form as a launch pad, leaping off her and landing a safe distance away.

Izu laid on the ground, disoriented. Her head was swimming from the stress of her 45% Full-Cowling. _But I'm not done yet!_ She was vaguely aware of some dampness on her stomach.

Izu kicked off the ground, standing up in an instant. She faced Rumi with a hard expression; eyebrows furrowed, lip curled up. She was pissed. Rumi was looking at her. _She... looks so concerned. Is something wrong?_

A moment later Izu's eyes opened wide, face quickly changing to one of surprised panic. The green electricity surrounding her vanished all at once, as she hugged her stomach with both arms. She bent forward and vomited up the previous periods lunch. Her head was swimming, and her vision was blurred with various different colors.

_Right... Vertigo... right?! I whipped my head around with how I stood up._ Her headache quickly multiplied in severity, and blood began to flow freely from her nose. Her eyes watered, and she began to cry uncontrollably. She knelt down to the ground, barely managing to catch herself. Her hands rested in vomit.

_I should have known this would happen. I used One For All on my head. That was far too intense, and for too long. I'm still not used to actually fighting, and thinking, while im under the influence of so much power. My senses were in overdrive, and now I'm facing the repercussions. Why… why does my stomach sting so much?_

Izu was vaguely aware of two sets of frantic footsteps approaching, thought she couldn't tell from where.

"Young Midoriya! Young Midoriya! Are you all right? Can you hear me?!"

Izu rolled to one side, laying on the ground and looking up at the clear sky. As the adrenaline left her system, every discomfort in her body seemed to get so much worse. _I know All Might said something… but I… I can't think right now._

There was more frantic talking around her, and she felt a massive hand cup her cheek and wipe the edges of her eyes.

_What happening? Why is everyone so loud? Isn't the fight still going on?_

* * *

Most of class 1-A remembered the shock of seeing Midoriya carried away on a stretcher. She looked… horrible. Her clothes were dirty, and her face was a mess of bruises, blood, and… other stuff. It was quite a shock to see the undisputed strongest member of their class having to be excused from their specialized training session so early.

The entire session was currently paused for a halfway-point break. Quite a few grumbled at only being given fifteen minutes in between the first and second half of their specialized training. Classes 1-A and 1-B currently sat on one of the large dirt squares. Many from both classes saw this as a good chance to mingle with members from their sister class, so a large majority of them sat around in a circle, discussing what they've learned so far. After some brief convincing from Kirishima, even Bakugo reluctantly took a seat in the ever growing circle of UA Hero course students.

A tall girl with short orange hair spoke up, addressing the group as a whole. "What's everyone think of the Pro's their working with? There seems to be quite the variety." The Pro's in question were currently huddled in their own group. Many had clipboards out and were furiously taking notes.

"Variety is certainly the right word. There's Heroes of all caliber here. Rescue Heroes, Heroes from the JP's top 10, even some Heroes I've never heard of before!" A black haired boy with a headband said.

"Hey should we, like, introduce ourselves? We are going to be working together for eight days." Ojiro asked.

"We already did that in some of the larger groups." A guy with silver eyebrows responded. "For example… You're Kirishima! You're… Ojiro, Sato, and Shoji! Right?! Did I get that right?"

"Yeah, all of us in the melee combat group are at least roughly acquainted, since we're gonna be sparring with each other for the next two weeks." Kirishima confirmed.

"Well it would be kind of hard to get to know everybody, so sticking to our groups for names isn't such a bad idea." Ojiro said. "But wait, what about your question?" Gesturing at the orange haired girl with his tail. "The different variety of Pro's, right?"

"Yeah… it feels a bit strange that there's such a difference." The girl now known as Kendo replied.

Kirishima smirked. "You mean our classmates who was training with All Might, right? I know basically everyone was watching that fight. It was hard not to."

Bakugo scoffed.

"Yeah I was meaning to ask about that. Anyone know what the deal is? How is that girl even competing with All Might. He's THE number one hero…" Tetsutetsu asked.

"Midoriya is something else." Was all Sato had to say.

"Yeah she's crazy strong. Her Quirk is nuts. It's… pretty unfair." Ojiro said, looking down at the ground.

Bakugo spoke up, "Not like you extra's could compete with All Might if you tried. Midoriya is the only one strong enough to. After seeing everyone in class B today, I can confidently say that."

"Extra's? Whats your deal, man?" Kendo asked, pointing an accusing finger at the explosive blonde.

"Yeah what the heck! We're classmates, Bakugo! Show some respect for once." Sato agree'd.

A vein bulged on Bakugo's forehead. "Respect? Why should I have to respec-"

Someone cut him off. "She landed a kick on All Might. You guys saw it, right?" A lipless teen with wide eyes spoke up. "That should be proof enough that there's a difference between some of the students here. We're all here to be heroes, but we need to be realists." An odd silence descended on the group. No one could bring themselves to disagree. "Think about it. This is ALL MIGHT we're talking about. The infallible Symbol of Peace. And she kicked him. I watched the same fight you guys did. Sure I could barely tell what was happening because of how fast they both were, but what happened happened. We're all here to be heroes. But know your own capabilities and learn to recognize others', as well."

Sensing he was finished, Kirishima added on. "All Might dispatches nearly all bad guys instantly, right? Think about it, when was the last time anyone saw him actually battle for an extended period of time with a villain?"

"How can you prove he wasn't just going easy on her?" Testutetsu asked, shrugging his shoulders.

Bakugo quickly responded. "Did that look like 'going easy' to you? Could you, or anyone for that matter, have competed with All Might if _that_ was him 'going easy'?! Huh?!"

Kirishima put a hand on Bakugo's shoulder, hoping to keep him from going overboard and insulting more people. But… no one challenged his statement.

"Why was she taken away in a stretcher, though?" Someone else asked.

"Who knows? Over exertion? She must have been going all out to even begin to compete with All Might, after all." Ojiro responded.

Bakugo scoffed again, and looked like he was going to speak up again.

"Okay okay, enough about her. We shouldn't talk about her, assumptions or not, while they're not here to explain." Kendo said. "Plus we got side tracked again. Pro's, remember?" Kendo raised her eyebrows, hoping to move the group towards a more productive conversation.

Kirishima drowned out most of the noise as the group devolved into various different conversations about who knows what. He exchanged a knowing glance with Bakugo. _Why was Midoriya taken away in a stretcher? I know her power is pretty crazy, but I didn't know it could take a toll on her like that. She looked to be in pretty bad shape. Well… not that I'd expect anything less considering who she was up against. Even that bunny looking woman was seriously overwhelming! She must have been seriously holding back whenever we sparred together._ He glanced at Bakugo, who looked especially pissed. _Ah. He must be realizing that as well. She could've easily dispatched both of us. Instantly._

Bakugo was progressively digging himself a deeper and deeper mental hole. _How am I supposed to compete with her at the sports festival. Nevermind the sports festival, how can I expected to compete with her at all?! The power she showed just now was only comparable to the creme de la creme of physical heroes._ He glanced over at Endeavor, who was having a one-on-one conversation with All Might. _I can't even imagine HIM taking her day. No way Endeavor is capable of dealing with Midoriya. He's ranked number two for a reason. I could tell that after working with him for only a few minutes! Everything about him. He's calculated, intelligent, and cunning in every sense of the word! But those things will only get you so far in the face of true power. That's why All Might is number one. He is true power. Overwhelming power! Endeavor is just a man with a flame Quirk._

He scrunched his eyes shut, hands going up and rubbing the side of his head in frustration. _I need to get stronger! I need to! But…_ He opened his eyes, looking down at his clenched fists. They briefly popped with small explosions. _Why can't I picture myself reaching anywhere near her level? I… I don't have the right to say it's unfair. I know people have looked at me and said the same thing! It's… it's unreal that someone exists that I have to say that about. Of course I… I would look at All Might and say that, but... he's different! He's unbeatable. That's his entire shtick…_ _How can someone like Midoriya exist..._

_Special people do exist. I always knew that. Am I... Am I just a boy with an explosion Quirk?_

* * *

Tsuyu Asui sat outside the large circle of students. Crowds... weren't exactly her thing. She was listening in, however. The commentary the other students had on each other and the various Pro's could prove useful. She'd spent a large majority of her time rather secluded from the rest of the students during her training. Far off on one corner of the comically large training field was a hastily constructed pool. Her training, which today largely consisted of full body exercises, was done exclusively in the water.

For a up and coming Hero like herself, one who would undoubtedly spend most of her time Hero-ing in her preferred terrain, honing her skills in the water was her best bet. It was also a huge help that her teacher was part seal! Selkie was a Sea Rescue Hero, exactly what she wanted to be! Asui couldn't have asked for a better match. He was able to give her lots of great insight on maneuverability in the water, combat advice, and so much more.

_And this was only the first day!_ Her mind briefly flashed to an image of Midoriya leaving so early, on a stretcher no less... _The first day and she looks like that. Was her training really that hard on her? That... can't be good for her, especially since we're supposed to have seven more sessions of this! Is... is she okay? I want to go see her. Will she be in class tomorrow? Will... she be able to see me for lunch again like we said?_

* * *

_Eugh. My head hurts…_

Izu sat up, then immediately regretted it. She let herself fall back down onto the soft bedding. She was in a nurses office, by the look of things. Something was wrapped around her abdomen.

_I feel… I feel like shit._ She let out a soft chuckle. She rarely cursed, even just to herself. She couldn't think of a better word to describe her current feelings though. Her legs ached. Her shoulders ached. Her elbows felt heavy and stiff. Her abdomen felt the worst. Her spine and ribs felt bruised as she experimented with moving side to side. Everything just _hurt_.

She poked and prodded at her dirty clothing. She _had_ fallen a lot during her two sparring matches. _Right. I was training earlier today. What time is it?_ She looked around for a clock, but couldn't see one. The curtains surrounding her bed seriously limited how much she could see. _Am I alone?_ She waited a few moments, purposefully making some more noise to alert anyone nearby that she'd awoken.

Confirming her suspicions, something rustled nearby. _Not alone._ A short shadow was visible through the curtains surrounding her bed. It slowly made its way over, eventually pausing near the foot of her bed.

"Izu Midoriya, yes?" An older woman's voice asked.

"I'm awake." Izu confirmed.

The curtains were pushed aside, Izu recognized the school nurse Recovery Girl standing at the foot of her bed. "You took quite the beating today. I hope you don't plan on doing this everyday of your specialized training."

"N-No. I don't. How much of today's training did I miss?"

"Well, considering you were carted out after your first two… _battles…_ realistically you spent maybe fifteen minutes at the session today."

That felt like a gut punch. "Fifteen minutes…" Izu repeated. _Fifteen minutes out of four periods? Everyone else has essentially a full day up on me now…_

"Yes indeed." Recovery Girl walked over to Izu's bedside holding a clipboard. "How do you feel right now?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

"I feel…" She sighed. She couldn't lie. "...really bad."

"Well at least you're honest. You did take quite the beating. Though Toshinori told me he thinks most of it was... _self inflicted_?"

_Toshinori?! She knows All Mights real name?! Does… does that mean she knows about One For All? He never told me…_

"Aha! That look. Yes, I can tell what you're thinking. Toshinori has told me of your connection to him. That certainly is a… taxing power you've been entrusted with."

Izu sighed, still reeling over Recovery Girl casually dropping such a bombshell. _What if there were other people in the room?!_ "I… yeah. My control isn't all there yet." She raised a hand to the side of her head, pressing against her temple.

"There's some water right here, it should help with your head."

Izu looked at the glass of water with ravenous eyes. "Th-Thank you for taking care of me, Recov-"

"Please call me Chiyo, dear. I have a feeling we'll be in each others company for a while to come."

_Is that…? Did she mean that to be rude or was she just being honest?_

"Um. Then thank you, Chiyo, for taking care of me?"

"There you go!" Her smile faded quickly, and there was an awkward silence as Chiyo continued to stand by her bedside as Midoriya gulped down her water.

"Easy now, you should get some food in you too."

As if responding to Chiyo, Izu's stomach grumbled. She was reminded that she did, in fact, throw up her lunch only a few hours ago. Izu blushed. She was definitely looking forward to some food sometime soon.

"Well, Izu, your earlier honesty was appreciated…" Chiyo let the last word hang in the air, pausing before she continued. "...I was hoping you could continue to be honest with me, yes?"

_Where's this going…_ a sinking feeling slowly crept its way over her conscience. Izu sat up slightly, grimacing as pain sparked in her abdomen once again. She scanned her body a second time after removing the thin blanket covering her. Her shirt had ridden up her form slightly, and layers of white bandages peaked out from below.

_I got kicked, right? Were bandages necessary? It should just be a bruise…_ Izu's eyes widened as realization slowly dawned on her.

"Yes you see… the injuries on your stomach…"

Izu's eyes spoke of the terror that was slowly enveloping her. Her breathing quickly accelerated from panic, inflaming the pain her chest further.

Chiyo extended a hand, resting it on the girls shoulder. "Dear… Toshinori and Ms. Usagiyama were both worried about your stomach you see…"

_I remember now. I felt something strange… dampness... right before I collapsed… after Rumi kicked me. Did… did my cuts…_

Izu couldn't keep thinking straight. She was hyperventilating, and was quickly descending into a chaotic thought pattern. Chiyo let out a quiet sigh as she watched the poor girl. There was no amount of medicine that could help what she was going through right now. Chiyo took a step back, letting the curtains fall behind her to give the girl some privacy. Izu slowly reclined back into the bed, tears streaming down either side of her head as she let out panicked sounds as she struggled to keep herself quiet. _This reaction was all the confirmation I needed. I'll have to… I'm… I'm required to tell Nezu if she really is harming herself._

* * *

A/N: Hi.

Sorry for the delay. I tried to maintain a regular upload schedule but, like most things, it just didn't work out. I don't plan to stop writing this story however. If for any reason I do have to stop, I'll make it known in some form. So if I don't say otherwise, you can always assume I've got something coming eventually!

Thank you for the reviews! I always try to respond where appropriate. If you see something you don't like, let me know! I'd love to have a chat about it so I can improve.


	13. Introspection

It was Wednesday. The specialized training began on Monday, and Izu had been discharged from Recovery Girl's office the day after her injury. She'd, naturally, missed the second day of training with Pros, and was told not to attend the other days scheduled the entire rest of this week.

She was encouraged to rest, and was forbidden from using her Quirk until she could prove she was fit to do so. _They even gave me permission to miss regular class…_ She laid in her dorm room bed, sulking about all manner of things. _This entire situation… sucks._

_I refused to meet with All Might and Rumi while in Recovery Girls office. It was… too embarrassing. Recov… Chiyo… undoubtedly knows what happened. She has to. She's the one who wrapped my bandages._ Izu turned constantly in her bed; she'd awoken in the middle of the night and hadn't been able to fall back asleep. She didn't even know what time it was, though the small amount of light creeping in through the curtains suggested it was still early. _Was there anything I could have done differently? Should I have defended my abdomen more? That… goes against the point of training though, right? W-Well I guess I kind of defeated that purpose either way, due to how much I'm missing as a result of my actions._

What worried her the most, however, was the _required_ meeting she now had to have with Nezu. She'd already debated with herself on what Nezu could possibly want to meet with her about; every time she came to the same conclusion. Chiyo had told Nezu about her injuries. _There's no way he's calling me to meet about something One For All related, is there? I haven't met with Nezu for quite some time. I used to… meet with him once a week to practice strategy and whatnot. But he wouldn't use an official summons like this, if that's what he wanted to talk about._

Izu ran her hands anxiously through her hair. It was clumping slightly; she hadn't showered since monday. She was starting to smell. Not exactly a bad smell… just… a smell. She was _still_ wearing her dirty uniform from monday. The only thing Izu was accomplishing right now was riling herself up over immovable meetings. She'd have to go meet with Nezu. Today. No avoiding that. She… wanted to go speak with All Might. N-No avoiding that? That was a meeting she wanted to have, rather than one she was required to attend. With a shake of her head, she started to list what she would hopefully get herself to do today.

_I have to change my sheets. I need to shower. I haven't eaten today. I need to call All Might eventually. Uhh. I missed my daily training routine for… two days so far. Will I be able to train on my own tomorrow? Even a little bit…?_ With a roll of her eyes, she sat up in bed, looking around the dark room. _What else am I forgetting? Well… I have to make up class work. I should talk to Aizawa about hands-on rescue related things I'll have missed. Should I also mention the group discussion I missed? That was… a little while ago but I'm still curious what my classmates had to say, even if their feedback was… harsh. I wasn't exactly the most cooperative. Though I did hear what one of them had to say._

_Asui. She said my performance was good, right? That I did well 'adhering to standard group roles'. That sounds… smart? Was she just being nice? She said others from the group said the same thing. That… gives her some more credibility if she's willing to use others names._ Izu turned suddenly, agitating her stomach in the process. Pain flashed across her eyes as they drooped low; her newest realization weighed down on her. Her chest felt heavy… breathing was harder, more labored. _I promised… I'd meet Asui for lunch yesterday…_ She brought her legs inwards, wrapping her arms around them and resting her head on her knees. _I was… really looking forward to that._

_Whats wrong with me, though? I'm always making things harder for myself. I can't make friends, even when I try. Something always comes up. Or… It feels like I always make something come up. At every turn. Every day._ Izu rubbed her face with her hands, letting out a groan. _I can't interact with people. I can't stick to my training regiment. I'm slacking on my One For All training. I'm… letting people down. Letting All Might down._ _Do any of my classmates have these problems? I would… notice. Right? Others have certainly noticed these things about ME. Right?! Asui pointed it out on monday at lunch. Bakugo's mentioned it twice. I've barely said two words about myself to Kirishima, and it feels like he can read my mind for christs sake!_

She looked forward, though her room was too dark to focus on anything in particular. _It must be late…_ Her stomach grumbled. _Am I… easy to read?_ _I must be. Everyone even remotely close to me give me looks of... pity! Low eyebrows and sunken eyes. Whenever I talk to people they get this sad look on their face. Everyone must be… walking on eggshells. And those who don't… know me… fear me. They're... jealous. Ojiro gives me harsh glances. Sato won't interact with me at all. All the girls besides Asui have kept their distance since that first time I talked to them on the first floor. Did I… did I really make that bad of a first impression?_

_Idiot. You're ruining your life at this rate. What would mom think if she saw all the stupid stuff you've done? Saw you alienating yourself? What would All Might say to you... if he knew how much you're slipping. 'I picked the wrong successor'. I bet. I can see his expression. The disappointment. It's like when mom would look at me all throughout middle school. I'd say my goodbye for the day and walk out the door. I'd turn back to look at her as she was closing the door… she always had such a sad expression. What was it, Mom? Were you disappointed in me? Were you… sad for me? But… I can never ask her these things. I… don't have the strength to bring up such sad things in front of her._

_Idiot! You fucking IMBECILE! WHY ARE YOU SABOTAGING YOURSELF! _She gripped clumps of her hair as she thrashed around in frustration. Her scalp hurt. She was pulling some hairs out. _YOU WANTED TO BE A HERO. RIGHT?! Thats… thats why you said yes to All Might. That's why you… worked so hard. For so long… right? But… you know the truth. You've always known it. You're not meant to be a hero. You never were. You were born a worthless, Quirkless, weak little girl who constantly day dreamed of… this fantasy! This imaginary future where you were something more. Where you MATTERED. And look at you now. You have it. You have everything. You have… NO REASON TO COMPLAIN. Look what you've done with it. And now… and now you've ruined someone else's ambition. Why… why did I say yes... All Might chose the wrong person._

She whipped her head upright. _No. Who are you to judge his decision making. He… couldn't have made the WRONG choice. He's… All Might. So what does that make me? Am I just some harlequin who tricked the Symbol of Peace into thinking I was heroic? Could… I have done that? Tricked him? All… all I did was make things worse. That sludge villain would've been dealt with either way. The other pro's who were there rightfully scolded me. I got in the way. I put myself in danger for no reason. Why… why did you see that situation differently, All Might? Why… All Might? What did you see in me that… I can't even see in myself?_

She didn't know when she started crying. She rarely did realize. It just… happened. Izu sat like this for a number of minutes, sniffling quietly. Eventually her inaction for the past two days caught up to her. _Bathroom. _She wiped her eyes as she threw her legs over the side of her bed with a measured slowness.

The sound of the toilet flushing was… oddly satisfying.

_I should shower while I'm up. Right? Well… if I do then I'll have to change my sheets also. There's no point in showering if I'm going to sleep on dirty sheets tonight._ She juggled each option in her mind as she washed her hands. She glanced down at the sink and was reminded of something important. With an expression of self loath, Izu cupped her hands to fill them with water. She drank a few gulps, feeling sorry for herself all the while. With a quiet sigh, she exited the bathroom, not bothering to dry her hands.

Izu stood in the center of her dark room, back slumped in defeat, as she simply looked around. The tiniest ray of moonlight peeked through the gap in her curtains. Something drew her attention. _I should go out on the balcony._ With quick, silent steps she was in front of the glass sliding door. She brushed the curtains out of the way and peered outside. It was a clear night. She couldn't see any clouds from where she was standing.

Her fingers found the lock; she flipped it open without a second thought. Sliding the door to the side, she stepped out into the cool night time air. The concrete floor was cold under her bare feet. _The fresh air is nice…_ Izu approached the railing, gripping it with both hands. A twinge of worry rose within her. She looked to her left, and let out a small sigh of relief. Thankfully Kirishima wasn't out on his balcony. _I don't know what I would have done if he was. Probably… probably just retreated back inside as fast as possible._

Izu looked up at the moon. _It's full tonight._ Being outside made it easier to think. It just felt… nice. The air inside her dorm was… stale. This air felt crisp, and colder. The light was comforting. Not bright enough that you had to shield your eyes, not too intrusive. _The sun… feels harsh at times. It… I get the feeling that it judges people. Some people are okay... being in the sunlight. They can stand tall under its warm glow. Be confident with it at their side. Being able to stand in the Sun's limelight is… a blessing. Most people enjoy sunlight, it seems. So why do I… always prefer night time instead?_

_The moon is… gentler._ _It feels patient. It won't rush you. Judge you. After all, the moon only comes out when most of society leaves. They check in for the day, finding comfort in sleeping the night away. Waiting till the sun is ready to show itself again. I don't blame them. The moon doesn't judge… it's impartial to life down here on earth. Is the sun the same way? It… sure doesn't feel like it. But what do I know?_

_Night time bears witness to the worst of the world. Abductions. Murder. Theft. Rape. All kinds of things across the endless spectrum of villainy. The moon provides cover for all these things. And yet… no one can bring themselves to say 'The moon is terrible'! You just... are the way you are. No one blames you._

_...Why is that, I wonder? Does no one question you because they've all come to the same realization? Or do they just ignore you? Your counterpart is… certainly more flashy. But why... does the sun feel different? Am I… an outlier… to feel more comfortable under moonlight? Others must feel the same way. I'm… not unique. At least, I don't think I am. Part of me realizes that I can't determine my own level of 'uniqueness'... if such a thing even had 'levels'. I've only lived one life._ Izu gazed up at the moon with a deep longing. She'd stopped crying some time ago; the tears had dried on her cheeks, leaving odd trails down from her eyes. _So I'll ask you… moon… You've seen countless living things at their worst. You __**can**_ _judge us… but choose not to._

_Then… is it wrong to find comfort under your light, rather than stand under the sun with the rest of… the rest of…_ Her face became more and more dejected as she struggled to think. She didn't know how to finish the thought that seemed to be the culmination of all this… introspection. _Society? 'People'? Heroes? Which group was I going to refer to? Is there even a right choice? If I had finished that thought, how would that have changed the sentiment?_ _I… I'm rambling. I'm not making any sense. You can't understand me. You can't read minds. You're… not even real. But if you could respond… what would you say?_ Her eyes bored into the huge white circle high in the sky, silently pleading the celestial object would answer her pleas. _Would you be like everyone else… by telling me to look towards the sun for guidance? To just… get over myself and be like… those three groups? Like all the 'normal' people in the world?_

Her mood sank further. _I like to imagine you're kind because of your impartiality. It's… hard to have that quality. No human does, I feel. Not from what I've seen, at least. That's just my cynicism talking, though. So if you could respond… I like to think you'd impart some great wisdom upon me. Thats… certainly something I could use right now._

She waited a few minutes. Part of her debated if she was… waiting for a response, or if she was just enjoying the fresh air. Her stomach grumbled again, and she chuckled softly. _I should find something to eat. I need to… make sure tomorrow is better..._ Turning back towards her room she took a step forward, then paused. She looked back over her shoulder, laying eyes on the Moon one last time for tonight. _That was… stupid of me. I wonder what I was expecting. Or if I was even expecting anything…_

_Whatever. At least I managed to cheer myself up. Kind of._

* * *

Same day - A few hours earlier…

The third day of personalized training had just finished and Bakugo was, for once, too tired to be outwardly pissed. He'd spent the entire second half of the day exhausting himself with Endeavors training. The first day Endeavor spent almost the entire sessions worth of time questioning him. _The fucking idiot wanted to know how my explosions "feel". Like, dude, I get you're the number 2 Hero, but you're not my fucking therapist! I don't need a therapist, or anything, to delve into the inner workings of my mind. Explosions aren't something so graceful that you can "figure them out" and make them stronger with some wise fucking words of wisdom!_

The second and third days for Bakugo both focused on technique. Endeavor was bugging him about the most _minute_ details of his movements when he would create his explosions. _I never knew… it would be so taxing to try and aim my explosions in such a way. Learning to angle the force of my explosions without having to directly move my hands… I'd never considered something like that. The first day I was just pissed at him, but went along with it because he's the number two hero. That was the only reason._

_But now… I have to admit that I'm seeing the benefit. If… WHEN I master this… I'll be able to propel myself in all kinds of different angles and directions, while still keeping my hands in position to land direct hits on whatever's in front of me. The guy's smart, no denying that. It just… IT JUST SUCKS I HAVE TO DO THESE KINDS OF THINGS ALONGSIDE THAT HALF AND HALF BASTARD!_ _He must be practicing his fire in secret. The only reason he's not using it in front of the rest of us— it's for the sports festival! That HAS to be the reason. Endeavor mentioned his fire on more than one occasion, so it's not like he doesn't have the goddamned Quirk._

He shoved his hands into his short pockets and continued to grumble to himself. Kirishima walked beside him as they followed the path towards their dorms. It would be dinner time soon, and they'd planned to eat together. Bakugo had, however begrudgingly, accepted Kirishima's request for help with studying. There was a test next monday that he didn't feel at all prepared for. _All the more proof that you do actually care about people besides yourself, Bakugo._ Kirishima thought with an inward smirk.

"Hey, Red Hair…"

Kirishima looked up, surprised that Bakugo was the one to initiate a conversation. He usually preferred to walk in silence. "Sup?"

"Since Midoriya's been gone, you've gotten a chance to train under All Might. Tell me about it."

Kirishima thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Oh. My answers pretty unimpressive. I dunno. He doesn't actually spar with any of us. He just critiques our form and gives us… lectures on strategy I guess. Its… It's actually a little annoying. You know, that he won't…" He searched for the right word. He wore a perplexed expression, but answered; "It doesn't feel like he's taking us seriously during these training sessions? Not that I can blame him. We're certainly a downgrade from Midoriya."

Bakugo gave him a harsh side eye. "Thought I told you to stop that shit. Insulting yourself."

Kirishima snorted. "Yeah you did. Sorry for not listening to you, oh great one." He taunted.

Bakugo just rolled his eyes in response. "I mean it."

They were silent for a moment, before Kirishima spoke up again. "Do you think… she's okay?" He asked.

"She's fine."

_No hesitation in his response._ Kirishima noted.

"How can you be sure? She… looked pretty beat up on monday, ya know?"

"Nothing she can't handle." Bakugo answered as quick as before.

Kirishima bristled slightly. "But why do you think that? Seriously?" He bumped Bakugo's shoulder with his own as they walked.

Bakugo turned to look at him for the first time since they started talking. He wore a scowl, but for a split second his expression softened as he looked at Kirishima. Kirishima had furrowed his eyebrows, and his lips were curled downwards.

_He's upset? What? He wants a more detailed answer from me?_ Bakugo thought, surprised.

Bakugo turned, looking forwards again. After a few moments of pause, he spoke. "She's too strong to let something like a few bruises stop her. Even if those bruises came from All Might and the Rabbit bitch."

Kirishima cringed. "Isn't that a little harsh?" He shook his head. _Stay on topic._ "Nevermind. Either way, I don't feel like either of us know her well enough to… say that with confidence. That she'll be okay, I mean."

"So? Based on that logic, how can you…" Bakugo paused, realizing what Kirishima was getting at. "You're insinuating that she _isn't_ okay, right? See how that doesn't line up? My point? How can _you_ say that about someone else who you've only known for two weeks?" Bakugo countered.

Kirishima had to bite his tongue, which hurt more than it should have because of his spiked teeth. _It's because I've only known her for two weeks... and I've already had her crying in my lap! That's a clear sign!_ He sighed. _But I can't tell you that. Midoriya would… hate if I did that. Plus, you're too self centered and dense; I can't ask you for advice on something like this. Sorry, but that's what I think._ A new idea popped into Kirishima's head.

"How many kinds of 'strength' do you think there are, Bakugo?" Kirishima asked, his tone neutral.

Bakugo stopped walking, hands still in his pockets. Kirishima followed suit, stopping a few steps ahead of him and looking back. Bakugo looked up towards the clear blue sky. His scowl had vanished. He waited a few seconds, seemingly lost in thought over Kirishima's question.

"That's... a dumb question." Bakugo answered, still expressionless. He started walking again, passing Kirishima. "My answer shouldn't matter to you. Only you can answer that question."

Kirishima looked down at the path they walked across. _Is that… really what you think? Or did you just say what I wanted to hear?_

Bakugo stopped a second time, his shoes scraping against the dirt path. He tapped his foot on the ground in annoyance. Kirishima raised his head to look at him, surprised he had more to say. Bakugo turned back, his scowl returned full force. "Actually, I take that back. _I_ think there's only one type of strength that matters. The one _I_ need to work on. But that's because _I_ know _I'm_ strong enough in the other kinds of strength that _I_ think exist. Or matter. Whatever."

"So you _do_ think there's more to… being a Hero? More to it than just being powerful?" Kirishima wondered.

Bakugo turned to face him completely. "Did you hear what I said? Let me ask you this: What's the difference, in your mind, between All Might and Endeavor?"

Kirishima opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. _That's… a good question. I felt like I'd always subconsciously had an answer to it. But now that I actually have to voice it… _He looked down at his fists, briefly hardening them. "I… don't know really. I feel like I'm here at UA to get an answer to that question. To learn what makes a Hero great, and to train. Train to attain all the kinds of strength I'll need apply the answer to that question to myself."

"You don't know…" Bakugo repeated. "Must be nice, to not know. I'm jealous."

"You're jealous? You? Why?" Kirishima asked, mouth open in disbelief.

"Who knows. Now come on." He turned, gesturing in the direction of their dormitory. "Save these deep referential conversations for someone who has the kind of 'strength' needed to answer them. Not me." Bakugo started walking again, a bit faster than before. His hands rested by his sides, clenched into fists. His knuckles were white, and his nails dug into his palms. He was glad Kirishima couldn't see his face.

_Did Bakugo…_ He shook his head. _No. I need to think on this more. Plus he doesn't seem like he wants to continue the conversation. He… didn't seem mad at me though. _Kirishima smirked, crossing his arms in thought as he followed after Bakugo. _Bakugo— I wish I could tell you plainly how much I look up to you. You're… how I imagined the best version of myself. Well maybe with a little less hostility. Are you self centered? Yeah, I still think so. But that's not something I can fault anyone for. We're all a little self centered. Is he dense though…?_

_I don't think so._

* * *

Izu quickly made her way through the pristine white halls of UA. She was on the fourth floor - the administrative level - so most things were unfamiliar. Izu was relieved that there didn't seem to be many people on this floor. Even walking by people she didn't know was… taxing. The odd glance here and there was totally harmless, but she couldn't help imagining what others would think when they saw her. Izu, unknowingly, had a habit of projecting her own opinions onto the thoughts of others. She'd always assumed everyone assumed the worst of her, as she did.

Arriving in front of Nezu's office, she paused to look quizzically at the door. It was a regular door. Well not _normal_. It was one of the nicer doors she'd seen in UA. It was made of a fancy looking dark wood, while remaining tall and wide enough to fit a variety of mutations comfortably. What surprised her was the handle. It was at a standard height. That of a… regular person. _How did Nezu open this door on his own?_ She wondered.

She paused outside his office, mentally pacing back and forth, hoping to build up… something. _Courage? Bravery? Come on! Just open the door! You're just making it worse by standing awkwardly outside. What if someone sees you?_ She turned to look behind her. The hallway was empty. She checked the time on her phone. She was a minute early. She took a deep breath and rapped her knuckles against the hardwood door.

After a few moments of silence, Izu heard a muffled high pitch voice come from within the office. The voice distinctly belonged to Nezu - She'd yet to meet someone else who could sound that cheery and serious at the same time.

"The door is open! Please do come in."

Forgoing a reply, she waited a beat before testing the handle. Izu pushed lightly, and it swung open with surprisingly little effort considering the doors grand appearance and size. It had an almost unnatural glide to it. _Ah. I see how he can open it…_

Izu slipped inside, closing the door behind her. She kept her back to the door as her eyes locked onto Nezu's desk. He… wasn't there. Izu scanned the room, finding the principal sitting in one of the padded chairs. His eyes found hers, and she quickly averted her gaze, looking elsewhere. She clasped her hands behind her back and began to aggressively wring them. Nezu had always looked at this habit of hers with sad eyes, so she always tried to lamely hide it. She could never bring herself to stop. Though she certainly couldn't claim to have tried all that hard _to_ stop.

She saw him gesture to the chair that sat opposite his. "You're welcome to sit." He assured.

There was a tea set on the small table between the pair of chairs. A cup sat in front of the chair meant for her. Steam rose calmly from the decorative cup. _Tea?_ Nezu was holding his cup, having already taken a few sips. He set his down, leaning far forward to reach the table. He clasped his hands, letting them rest on his lap, then turned to look at her with a reassuring smile.

Izu closed her eyes, inhaling deeply as she relaxed against the door. Part of her wanted to stay standing, while another recognized the extra care behind Nezu's statement. '_You're welcome to sit' is what he said. Not 'please take a seat' like he'd say to anyone else._ She sighed. Nezu knew her too well. They'd had a bit of a therapist-patient relationship before UA, despite him not being officially licensed. There was never any expectations behind those meetings - no 'results' had to be met. Izu had progressively gotten comfortable enough with Nezu to request meetings with him herself. _He always seems to know what to say._

But that wasn't why she was here today. Nor was she here to receive a lesson on strategy or morals. She was, essentially, in trouble. _And yet he still maintains his patience with me._

"Aren't you supposed to be my principal now?" Izu asked, her face inquisitive.

Nezu responded with a confused look, eventually returning to that small smile he seemed to always wear. Nezu was debating with himself. _Was that her trying to be humorous?_ He didn't reply immediately, instead opting for another sip of tea. Izu sighed as she pushed off the door, transitioning into a slow walk towards the open chair.

"Being your principal doesn't mean I can't be friendly and understanding. You of all people would know I can remain impartial when it counts." He said with a nod, referring to her dual acceptance to UA.

Izu sat in the chair, pulling her legs up to wrap her hands around them, then resting her head on her knees. This was how she always sat when alone Nezu. It felt… right, considering his size. She'd asked, once, if Nezu felt like she was mocking him. He'd brushed off her concern, simply affirming that if that's how she wanted to sit, then that's how she should sit.

She looked around his office with practiced stealth. It was quite unassuming. Not as decorated as Izu had expected, considering the position Nezu held. Being the principal of UA certainly gave him a good amount of leverage, power, influence - however you want to refer to it. It was odd, Izu thought, that she was no longer intimidated by these people. All Might, Nezu, UA Teachers, Pro Heroes. Each worthy of praise and commanding a great deal of individual power. None of them seemed intimidating to her anymore. _Is it because I received One For All? Do I… have an ego now? Even unknowingly?_

"That sounded rude. I didn't mean it like that." She said, still not looking at him.

"Of course. No offence was taken, I assure you." He was still smiling at her. Slowly his mouth transitioned into a thin line. He did have an agenda he needed to cover in this meeting. He began, "Midoriya, do you know why I've called here today?"

Izu tried to look down into her knees more to hide her face. She couldn't help but cringe at the question. _Of course I know why._ After some internal debate on how she should respond, she eventually settled with, "Because of what happened during Mondays training?"

Nezu raised an eyebrow. _That was quite the non-answer. Well, there's no point in being cruel and making her address what happened. I can probe her for answers indirectly._ "I heard you took quite the beating. Not that anyone would blame you of course!" He chuckled, trying to be reassuring. "You were up against quite the fearsome pair. I hope you were able to learn something from your brief time spent with them?" Nezu questioned.

"I haven't been able to sit down and think about my time with them yet. Plus I can't use my Quirk. I'm still recovering." Izu answered with a shrug. Her voice was eerily monotonous.

"I've heard that's what Recovery Girl recommended. Next training session I th—"

"Next time I won't make the same mistakes. I wont get hit again." She was looking at him now, her eyes alight with determination.

Nezu's smiled remained, ever present. "That's a good attitude to have." He paused briefly, then continued. "Allow me to go on a small tangent?" He nodded towards her for confirmation.

She shrugged again, then returned the nod.

"Please don't think of this as an interrogation. You aren't required to answer any question. These are all fueled by my own curiosity…" He watched her for a reaction. Izu remained stoic, giving him nothing to work with. She was hard to read, considering her mouth was hidden behind her knees still. Nezu narrowed his eyes, asking "You acknowledge the strength within you now, yes? There are few, if any, in your class who can hope to match you in combat."

Her expression faltered slightly, her eyes betraying her as they widened ever so slightly. She didn't respond, though.

Nezu continued. "And you're very critical of yourself." This was more a statement, instead of a question. Again Izu gave no reaction. Nezu pressed on, wanting to get some reaction out of her. "Tell me, Midoriya, do you have a 'zone' that you go into, as far as you're aware? The phenomenon is not just non-scientific wild speculation. You intensely focus on something- so much so that everything else on your mind, anything remotely distracting, fades away."

He watched her, hoping for a response. After a few seconds of waiting, he heard a quiet "-No."

_Really now? So she's unaware of the change in her demeanor? But she retains memories of her own actions during this change… Was that the truth, I wonder. Did she answer honestly..._ Nezu quickly glanced up at one of the corners of his office, feeling a tad guilty. "Do you think you're too critical, too harsh on yourself? I know you think a lot. Too much introspection can be… dangerous, as I'm sure you're aware."

This time she responded more quickly, raising her head slightly. "Thats a lot of assumptions."

"'But would you agree with the first part of my statement?"

_Statement? That's… a generous way to phrase it._ Izu thought, a bit ticked off. "Maybe? Didn't you say this wasn't going to be an interrogation? Aren't I here because I'm in trouble?" She wore a questioning expression, not entirely sure what the point of their conversation up till this point was.

Nezu raised his eyebrows. _She's insinuating I should get to the point of this meeting. She won't bring it up herself, but also wants this meeting to be over. At the same time - she doesn't want to offend me, her principal, or take advantage of our shared history. _"I was beating around the bush, as you were." He challenged her, gesturing towards her. _I want to push her in the right direction though._

Izu sat up straighter, letting one leg fall down to rest on the floor. She glanced at the door once, then a second time. Nezu watched her intently, absorbing everything she was unknowingly telling him with her body language. _That made her uncomfortable. Hmm._

Izu simply stared at him, looking mildly offended. Nezu waited, letting silence descend upon them both. She began to fidget with her hands as he reached for another sip of tea. Her cup remained untouched, still steaming. She watched his careful, calculated motions, as he set his cup down. Nearly a minute had passed with neither of them saying a word. Nezu's previous statement… accusation? Still hung in the air.

Finally Nezu broke the silence. He stared at her, his expression hard to read. Was he angry? Nervous? Guilty? "So then, if you and I both know why you are here, will you be the one to voice it?"

Izu, surprisingly, held his gaze. Nezu swore he could _see_ the gears in her head turning in thought. "Why won't you say it?" She asked.

He didn't miss a beat. "I am willing to. But hearing it from you— You being the one to address it could be viewed as a first step toward remedying the situation. Plus it is a rather… touchy subject. If my staff and I were, somehow, incorrect in our conclusion, it would be extremely offensive. I am confident, however." Again he threw the metaphorical ball back to her.

Izu, once more, remained silent for some time. She slowly raised her leg back up, returning to her previous position, resting her head on her knees. "When Rumi… kicked me it—" She stopped abruptly, letting out a choked sound.

Nezu sat up a little straighter, a blithe look rested on his mammalian face. He motioned for her to continue. _She's so close._

"Because I… uh. What she did didn't cause… that?" She glowered, curling in on herself slightly as she finished her choppy sentence.

_We're on the same page, then. She's done enough for today._ Nezu clapped his small hands (paws?) together, causing Izu to look up. "Then we're done."

"We are?" She asked, unable to mask her surprise.

"For the most part. I do have some… parting requests of you." He admitted.

Izu looked around, trying to process the last minute. She didn't quite know how to feel. She shrugged at him, which he took as a sign to continue.

"I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, Midoriya. But I will put forward some… recommendations. I know you trust me, and I want to take advantage of that fact in a unique way."

She raised an eyebrow at him.

He continued. "I know firsthand that being told the solution to a problem only constitutes, at most, half of what you need to actually see it through. Having the knowledge on how to solve an issue is not that same as having the understanding of its implementation. Does that make sense?"

Izu closed her eyes to think. _I think I get it? He's going to tell me the solution to my problem, but is going to leave me to figure out how to… apply that solution to myself?_ She frowned, not entirely confident in her thinking. "I think so?"

"Knowledge is not the same as understanding. That being, you are aware of how your actions make you feel. I want you to spend time, in a clear state of mind, debating with yourself. Did you end the day worse than when you started? If so, what actions were the cause? What did you gain from them, and what did you lose?"

Izu wasn't sure how to react, but she was listening intently. Every word Nezu said was carefully memorized; saved for a later date when she could properly analyze his meaning.

"Even self harm seems like a good idea in the moment. Those feelings are legitimate. Do not discredit them after the fact simply because you are ashamed of them. Work with them to better yourself, as I'm sure that's what you want." Nezu said with a low voice. For once, his eyes were downcast, unable to meet hers.

Izu, to her credit, didn't have the knee jerk reaction she'd expected upon hearing Nezu's concession. He did know what she'd done. Yes, her blood ran cold, and she felt like freaking out. But… a different part of her recognized the gentle care behind Nezu's words. The sincerity of it all caused a soft bloom of warmth somewhere within her.

Nezu, fearing he'd said too much, reacted quickly to wrap up their conversation. He'd accomplished his goal. He stood up, intentionally making more noise than usual to snap Izu out of her train of thought. Izu blinked once, then twice, watching him start to clean up the tea set. She straightened herself out, grabbing her cup and pushing it towards him, her expression was completely impassive.

"You can, when you feel ready to use your Quirk, return to classes. Please take as much time as you feel comfortable with. I've made Aizawa aware of your absence. So long as you make up all missed work, you will not suffer any penalties." He told her.

Izu nodded at him, still unsure on how she should react. Nezu caught her looking at the door again. "Ah!—" He began. "You're free to go, Midoriya. Please do think on what we discussed."

Izu absentmindedly nodded at him as she turned towards the door. She pulled open the door, pausing as she stood halfway out. She turned back to look at Nezu, coughing quietly to get his attention. "T-Thank you, Nezu." She saw him smile, but she didn't wait for a reply. The door swished shut in her wake, and she walked down UA's halls with a confused disposition.

She had a lot of thinking to do, for better or for worse.

Nezu watched her leave out of the corner of his eye. After the door shut, he waited a minute to ensure she wouldn't return. He reached up to rub his face and eyes, letting out a loud sigh he'd been holding in. _I'm sorry for doing this, Midoriya. But there are things we must figure out, even if we have to mislead you._

He fiddled with his pocket, pulling out a small phone. The phone rang once before the person on the other end picked up.

Nezu spoke first. "Well, Tsukauchi?"

"I wasn't able to get much from her. She rarely answers with definitive statements. She managed to dance around me pretty well. But—"

"But there was one time" Nezu finished for him.

Tsukauchi continued. "Yes. She lied once, when you got her to answer plainly about the 'zone' you mentioned. That was a lie. I'm sure of it." The man on the other end sounded guilty. "I won't be doing this again, Nezu. You've cashed in on your favor. I'm not comfortable using my Quirk on unknowing students like this. Though, she's such a bad liar you could probably tell without my help. No wonder she dodges answering like the plague."

Nezu was unperturbed by his friends comments. "Chastise me all you like. I have good intentions. You know I wouldn't ask this of you without a reason."

"Then remove that camera and mic like you said you would. Next time I'm in your office, if it's still there…" Tsukauchi warned, his tone clear even over the phone.

Nezu clicked his teeth. "I will." He conceded. Nezu hung up before Tsukauchi could lecture him further. He set his phone down, clasping his hands in thought.

_So she is aware of the change. Is she… ashamed of it? In denial? How does this all play into what was done to her? Are they even related? Aizawa has noted that she almost seems like a different person..._

* * *

Thursday rolled around and Izu knew right upon waking up that she was still in no shape to go to training today. She wouldn't be able to accomplish anything. _All I'd do is steal attention from some of the teachers. It's not worth going. Not today. They might even send me back if I tried. Next… next week will be better._

Her stomach was enough of a motivator to get her to shower and, by extension, change her sheets (and do laundry!). Izu knew she couldn't go downstairs to the communal area… looking as she did. It felt good to change into clean clothes… and be clean herself. She wore a variance of her regular outfit. This time she wore a black T-shirt and black sweatpants; as opposed to a black tanktop and black shorts. One set held a tactical advantage over the other, so when she didn't plan on doing any... overly serious movement with Full-Cowling, she generally covered up more. Hence the T-Shirt and sweats.

_No point in being more revealing than required._ Everything felt softer. It felt… easier to breath. _One burden lifted. Only… too many more to count to go. Yay._ She rolled her eyes at her lame joke. Thankfully, when she did go downstairs to pick at various foods available in the kitchen, no one was present. Everyone was, naturally, in class in some form or another. Even Aizawa.

Having the entire communal space to herself was… actually quite nice. The only reason she didn't spend more time down here was because of the extreme likelihood other people would be here. _And that meant risking getting roped into a conversation!_ Getting a change of scenery from her room was… always nice. The sky was overcast today, meaning the large communal room was quite cool despite the absurdly large windows present all around the space.

Izu took a seat on one of the workout mats that laid in the corner of the room. She sat cross legged, and after a moment adjusting herself to get comfortable, she channeled her Full-Cowling. Her regular Quirk training exercises consisted of mostly endurance training with Full-Cowling, and getting more adept with switching the percentage of power in different body parts on the fly.

She began low, with only 25%, and immediately regretted it. She instantly felt lightheaded, and she nearly fell backwards. _Wow. That was… significantly more backlash than I expected. Sure I didn't think I'd be able to jump right back into using One For All at the same level I did on Monday… but come on, not even 25%? Chiyo did forbid me from using my Quirk until I felt ready to use it again. Am I breaking any rules right now?_ She pondered for a bit, eventually deciding: _No. This is me checking to see if I'm comfortable enough to use my power. Plus Nezu recommended I check to see how I feel._

Izu practiced with far lower percentages of One For All for a few hours. Her main focus, since she couldn't expect any improvement in endurance while using such low percentages, was rapidly changing the percent of power she channeled at any given moment. She practiced alternating, suddenly flaring, and suddenly dropping her power in one part and lowering it in another. After a while she moved the mat she was sitting on to be in front of a full-body mirror that had been installed on a wall nearby. She had a hunch.

She paid particular attention to the electricity surrounding her body while doing this. _Somethings been bugging me. Yesterday was the first time in a while I got to see All Might use One For All. Initially I'd thought of my electricity as no more than a byproduct of using Full-Cowling… but All Might doesn't have any visual indicator for his usage of One For All? Right?_

_Is he hiding it? Can I do that, or are we just different?_ She experimented briefly, trying to gauge if she had any sense of control over the electricity that surrounded her. _No luck. The electricity is totally foreign feeling. But… I can feel something. Something is there, an inkling. All Might… did mention that One For All manifests itself differently in each holder. I don't… have a 'Muscle Form' for example._ She shivered, trying to imagine herself in such a form. The imagine that popped into her head… wasn't a pretty sight. _Too many shadows. Too macho._

After a while of continuing her regular practice, and watching herself carefully in the mirror, she made a bit of a revelation. _The electricity condenses when I actually move my body, especially when I use higher percents. If I'm standing still it just goes wild, sometimes extending multiple feet away from me._ She tried briefly increasing one of her arms to 40%. It ached, but it was nowhere near as bad as using One For All on her head. She flailed her arm about randomly. _Sure enough, it's as I thought. The electricity condenses to surround my arm when that part of me is in motion. What… what can I do with this information? More importantly, what can my opponents do with this information? Hmm._

She stood up suddenly, speaking out loud. "Of course... That must be it!"

Standing in front of the mirror, she enveloped one leg in a 35% Full-Cowling, increasing the other to 40%. She wobbled slightly from the mismatched levels of power, but remained stalwart. She jogged in place to make sure her legs were moving. _The electricities… are noticeably different. You can tell which of my legs are holding more power._ Her mind flashed back to her battle with All Might. _It felt like he was reading my mind during that fight. On so many occasions he was able to predict which way I was going to jump… and it makes perfect sense_! She plopped back down onto the mat, conducting the same experiment with her arms.

_It's only natural that I would, for a brief moment, increase the power in one of my limbs during Full-Cowling, to give myself that extra little bit of 'Oomph' when moving or attacking. That's basic fighting procedure with One For All, as All Might taught me. This… this is how All Might and Rumi were able to read my movements, detect my feints, all of that! I'm sure of it. How could I have not noticed this earlier?! I guess that was my first time really going all out since coming to UA._

Izu stood up, a delighted smile plastered across her face. She needed to go shopping. Her mind immediately got to work forming a shopping list. It mainly consisted of various groceries she wanted to have in her room, and some school supplies. But the real reason for her sudden need to shop…

_I need a mirror in my room. One outside of the bathroom. I guess… I guess that is another reason why I wouldn't have noticed this electricity thing. I don't exactly like looking at myself._

She shrugged. _Another burden lifted. And the days not over._

* * *

Izu returned later than she'd expected. She went to a basic home furnishing store to look for a mirror. She wasn't looking for anything fancy, but knew the one she selected had to be easy to move, should the need arise. She did call her mother however, just to let her know about the spending of money. Izu… never really spent money on anything besides the basic necessities for living. Food. Water. Clothing? Most of her entertainment came from studying (fawning over) Heroes or reading books from the local library. Right as she was about to press the button to make the call, she hesitated.

_Will she be angry that I'm calling her now? For a reason like this? I… I do feel bad that I waited until I had a reason like this to call her. I should have… called her earlier. Yeah. I don't need a reason._

The call went smoothly. It was nice to talk to her mother. Exchange the typical formalities and talk about school. Izu purposefully kept most things… rather superficial. Not because she wanted to deceive her mother… but… _It's just easier this way. She doesn't need to know about all these things I'm going through. That will just worry her. I know that she already worries about me enough._ Part of her knew that she was trying to convince herself that she made the right choice. Though she always felt like she was doing that, in some sense. _Does everybody feel like that?_

She tapped her ID card against the reader on the front of the dorm and pulled the door open. There were a few of her classmates milling about in the common area. A small group of girls whose names she forgot saw her and waved. She had a hard time waving back due to all the things she was carrying; one hand held multiple bags of groceries, and she had a long box held beside her hip. She returned the greetings with an awkward nod of her head. It felt… so foreign to be welcomed in such a way. She still didn't truly know any of her classmates all that well. She was silently thankful that the ones she did semi-regularly converse with weren't present. Kirishima, Bakugo, and… Asui.

She couldn't stop frowning while she walked to her dorm. Unintentionally breaking the promise she made with Asui had been hanging over Izu's head for the entire day. She was trying to not let it bother her. Keyword: trying. _I… know I should apologize as soon as I see her. I feel… really bad. I was looking forward to it. Should I seek her out?_ The elevator let her off on the top floor. _No… No. I don't even know her room number. Let alone if she's even at the dorms right now._

Izu turned left to walk towards her room, but froze as she saw what was ahead. Kirishima and Asui were down the hall, talking to one another outside of Kirishima's room.

_Uhh. What do I do? Any ideas? Can I go back downstairs? No, people saw me down there. 'Why are you back downstairs, Midoriya?' Aaah! I don't want to talk to them right now. There's so much I have to explain but I haven't had time to go over it in my head yet!_

Kirishima spotted her at the other end of the hall. He was wearing basic workout clothes, and had a sheen covering his head. Asui was wearing a long green skirt and white shirt. Kirishima waved at her with a smile, causing Asui to turn as well. Izu's eyes met hers and she couldn't stop her face from flushing. Izu looked down at the floor, nearly dropping her bags and boxed mirror in her brief confusion. Kirishima quickly approached. Asui followed suit, walking over slowly with her hands out in front of her.

Kirishima spoke as he approached "Hi Midoriya! Me and Asui-san were actually just talking about you—"

Asui interrupted him, speaking a bit louder than usual because of the distance between them. "We were… uh. Yes we were, Gero. I was looking for you, actually, when I ran into Kirishima."

_I have to say something._ Izu thought, a bit panicked.

Kirishima arrived in front of her with one of his hands extended. "Can I help you with some of that stuff?"

She glanced down at her occupied hands. _I don't want to touch his hand…_

"I- I'm fi- I'm just going to my room, right there." She gestured in Asui's direction, who would soon be in front of her as well.

Kirishima looked a bit taken aback, but didn't press the issue any further. "Well I won't get in your way then. Do—"

"Would you like to join us for some food, Midoriya?" Asui interrupted Kirishima again, raising her voice slightly.

Kirishima turned to look at her, a bit peeved, but nodded to confirm Asui's statement. Not wanting to block Midoriya's path, he turned and gestured towards Midoriya's dorm room. He began walking, hoping she would follow.

Izu argued with herself for a few moments as she watched Kirishima get further and further away. Asui stopped a few feet away, electing to watch her with a calm gaze.

"S-Sure." Was all Izu could think to say.

Asui smiled, some tension leaving her shoulders.

Kirishima ended up volunteering his room, considering they were already standing right outside of it.

* * *

_This is awkward. This really… REALLY awkward. Why is everyone so silent. Why am I silent? They were talking earlier, weren't they? Do Kirishima and Asui not like each other? Is the food bad? I like it…_

Kirishima coughed into his hand, causing both girls to look over at him. He was, however, just coughing. He had nothing to say. "Oh no sorry. I was just coughing, ya know?" Kirishima was starting to sweat. The trio had only really exchanged basic pleasantries about the food and stuff like who would sit where. The kotatsu that came in each dorm room was designed to seat two people sitting across from one another. Kirishima volunteered to sit on the side as an act of courtesy, but it was still awkward. Sitting on the side meant he was in close proximity to both girls. He also had to sit cross legged, since he couldn't slide his legs under the table.

_One of which I've barely spoken to_— He glanced at Asui. _And the other one is…_ He glanced at Midoriya. _...a huge mystery!_

Asui would have agreed with Kirishima; this was indeed an uncomfortable dinner for all parties involved. She had originally knocked on his door to ask about Midoriya, after she didn't respond to her knock. She'd seen Midoriya 'hang out', if you could call it that, with Kirishima and Bakugo on more than one occasion. Bakugo was unavailable as usual, so she knocked on Kirishima's door.

To the surprise of them both, Midoriya was the one to break the metaphorical ice. "What has training with the Pros been like? I missed a lot of class, so im curious." She ended with a sigh.

Asui glanced at Kirishima, who made a motion as if to say '_you first'_. Asui waited a moment, planning out her sentence. "First, can I ask if you're feeling alright? As you said you missed class and I'm worried? Gero."

_Why ask if you can ask me when you already… nevermind._ Izu planted her head on her arm, brushing her hair out of her face with her other hand. "I'm fine. I just went too far against All Might and… Mirko." She answered.

"I'm glad to hear that. Really." Was Asui's response.

"Me too. You looked pretty beat up on Monday. I knew you'd be fine though." Kirishima added.

"As for what we've been doing; I'm pretty sure it varies quite heavily from group to group." Asui looked at Kirishima for confirmation. He nodded. "I've spent almost all my time training in an aquatic environment. Though I've had a few lessons on subduing people on land. Gero. Though I didn't do very well with those."

Asui had Izu's full attention now. "What kind of training? I'm not too familiar with aquatic heroes regiments or practices." She lifted her head and started fidgeting with her hands, wishing she had a notebook to write in. _Why do I always forget to bring one? I need to start carrying something to write in again._

_She's so interested…_ Asui gulped, her expression deadpan. She wasn't expecting to have to delve deeper. "Uh, some techniques for swimming faster. How to escape rip-currents. Dealing with frantic or drowning people in water." She tapped her lip with a large finger as she went over her memories of the last 3 days. "All that alongside a basic full body workout routine, and breathing exercises. Though I'm pretty good at that already, Gero. There are a few Quirk related techniques I'm working on, but they're kind of hard to practice. Seals and Frogs don't have all that much in common, so Selki is kind of just encouraging me to... 'feel' my power more, Gero." Asui ended with a shrug. "It's vague."

Izu was transfixed. "Sounds fascinating. Who are you studying under? You mentioned a seal."

"Selkie. He's a Sea Rescue Hero, which is what I want to be, Gero. His quirk is just like mine, except he's a spotted seal. But, since we're both mutation types, he's been able to give me lots of good pointers on how to improve different aspects of my Quirk." Asui turned towards Kirishima. "What has your experience been like, Kirishima?"

Kirishima crossed his arms and closed his eyes to think. "Hmm. Mines been, pretty boring honestly." He looked over at Midoriya, looking rather sullen. "It feels like a slightly more focused version of the sparring we did with Bakugo. Just… a lot of fighting?" He waved his hands around. "I was hoping for something a little more… Quirk related?" He looked between Midoriya and Asui.

Izu looked warily at Kirishima. "You mentioned that before to me and Bakugo. Was your Quirk always as it is now?"

His downtrodden expression vanished, replaced with an oddly prideful one. "Well, no. When my Quirk first appeared the hardening was barely noticeable. At first I didn't even consider it 'hardening'".

"So you've improved it then? How did you do that?" Asui asked.

He looked away and scratched the side of his head. He spoke softer, sounding a bit embarrassed. "I uh… hit myself with stuff. Over and over."

_That sounds ridiculous. But if it's actually what he did... has he reached some kind of limit? Kirishima doesn't seem too enthusiastic about his Quirk progression or current standing. Not as much as I would've expected from someone with his personality. I should… ask him. He'd like that, right?_ Izu REALLY wished she had a notebook. "You're not doing that with Pros? Is there a reason?" Izu questioned. Asui nodded in agreement, seemingly having the same question.

"Well it's... hard to push myself further? I've reached an odd point where even falling from a building into concrete doesn't phase me while hardened. Training my Quirk on my own is kind of out of my control at this point."

"But the same principle can still be applied, right, Gero? Pushing yourself by… taking hits?"

"Probably? As I said, it's kind of hard to check."

A question popped into Izu's mind. "Does it hurt?"

Kirishima looked over at her. "Hmm? Well it used to, when I was first starting. It's not obvious, but my hardening isn't just surface level. I harden all the way through. So when I'd knock myself with a metal pipe it would always hurt. But nowadays no. Not unless I take some serious punishment."

"That does sound… hard to train. The Pros aren't… willing to hit you? As odd as that sounds." Izu wondered aloud.

Kirishima shrugged while shifting his gaze between Asui and Midoriya. "Most of the Pros in the 'melee' group agreed that my Quirk seemed to have reached a soft limit. For now at least."

Izu frowned. _Sure some Quirks have limits… but Kirishima said he's already seen massive improvement. Why would his current level be the max? Is there some arbitrary 'hardness' scale that he's reached the top of?_

Kirishima's eyes rested on Midoriya, then they opened a bit wider. _I just… got a strange idea. How can I ask her this?_ Kirishima wondered. Seeing how they were nearing the end of their food, he figured now was as appropriate a time to ask as ever. "Midoriya—" She'd lost herself in thought; snapping out of it suddenly, she looked over at him. She couldn't maintain eye contact, however, so she opted to look down in front of him. "—you have pretty good control over your power output, right?"

Asui shifted in place as she watched Izu answer. She sounded a bit unsure. "Yes?"

"I figured so. After seeing you really amp up against All Might…" He paused, trying to choose the right words in his mind. "Next time we spar with Quirks, I want to experiment with tanking different levels of your hits. Would you be… comfortable doing that?"

Asui lurched her head back slightly. She certainly wasn't expecting that. Izu was, likewise, unsure how to respond to such a question. _He wants me to hit him? That… sounds like a bad idea. But at the same time, he just explained that it's how he improves his Quirk. And that… he's been struggling to do so._

Before Izu could answer, Asui chimed in. "Does your Quirk offer you any protection, Midoriya? I also saw you demonstrate some impressive power."

She squirmed, not liking the attention One For All drew. Yes it was an incredibly impressive Quirk, but still. It almost felt like cheating to use it. Almost unfair. "Y-Yes it does. I can strike things without injuring myself."

Kirishima sighed quietly. _Wow. She really is just me but better._ He thought rather dejectedly. As if to demonstrate, her hands briefly lit up, surrounded by a calm aura of green electricity. The glow faded quickly, and Asui saw her face flush.

_Did she not mean to do that, Gero?_

The seconds ticked by and Kirishima's question hung in the air. Finally, in an attempt to break the suffocating silence, Izu answered. "I'd want to make sure it's okay with our teachers first? The Pros do have… valid concerns. Not wanting to injure you. I… don't either, obviously." She tried to hide her face, unable to stop it from flushing.

Kirishima's face brightened with optimism. _She didn't say no!_

"Speaking of, Midoriya, can I ask about your power as well? You've certainly been nothing but impressive since the start of class, Gero." Asui requested.

_I want to say no, but that's unfair. They've both told me about their Quirks._ Izu took a moment to calm herself, then feigned indifference. She nodded at Asui, wearing a brave face. Kirishima narrowed his eyes, studying her expression carefully.

_She didn't like the question._ Kirishima guessed. _Nevertheless, if she does answer Asui... I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just as curious about the details of Midoriya's Quirk._

"Your power has a lot of similarities to All Mights, right? What's your Quirk called, Gero?"

Izu had a response ready for this question. She knew it would undoubtedly come up during her time at UA. She channeled a small amount of One For All into her arm, moving it in circles to condense the electricity as a demonstration. "I call it 'Energy Augmentation', because of the electricity that surrounds me when I use it. It gives me a lot of speed, power, and durability."

"A lot? I'll say. You kept up with All Might!" Kirishima exclaimed, raising an arm to accentuate his point.

"...He was going easy on me." Izu responded quickly.

"It's a very impressive power. Your usage of it is stellar as well." Asui noted. Kirishima nodded in agreement. Izu just grumbled in response, unsure how to respond to the blatant praise from her classmates.

Kirishima lost himself in thought for a moment. _Somethings missing…_ "Is… is there a downside to using your power?" He questioned. _Having such a powerful Quirk with no downside is… unheard of. Right? Even Todoroki has an exploitable weakness. I've seen him nearly freeze himself solid a few times these past two days._

Izu quickly debated with herself, looking down at her lap. _Is it suspicious if I answer honestly? One For All… doesn't really have a downside? I suppose being able to injure myself with higher percentages could be considered a downside, but that will go away with time as I master it._ Kirishima and Asui exchanged a glance, both noting Midoriya's hesitation.

"Um. Not really? Though if I use too much power I risk injuring myself pretty… badly. Though that's just because of my control not being good enough. That and… I guess the aftereffects of my movements? I'm not practiced enough fighting with high levels of my power, so any big or wide motions I make have some pretty intense wind backlash." Izu shrugged, hoping that explanation was satisfactory.

Asui leaned forward slightly. "That's incredible, Midoriya. Both of your downsides will go away with time, it sounds like, Gero. It makes sense why you're training under All Might. Your Quirk and his seem to share many similarities in form and function."

"Y-Yeah I guess?" Izu chuckled nervously. Being compared to All Might made her giddy with excitement, but worried her at the same time. It was very easy to draw a connection between her and All Might already. _What if someone… looked into it further. Should I be worried? Should I let All Might know?_ She glanced at Kirishima, hoping to discern if he thought the same way as Asui. She was taken aback by his expression. He looked quite sullen. Something was definitely bothering him.

Worried, she reached out to poke his arm. "Kirishima?"

He twitched, looking embarrassed that he'd been so caught up in thought. "Huh?" Was all he could think to say.

"Everything okay, Kirishima? You looked upset." Asui followed up.

He swallowed, swishing his head from left to right as he thought about what to say. "I uh… was just really impressed by the people UA attracted." He gestured towards Midoriya and Asui. "You guys, Todoroki, Bakugo, and so many others. Everyones… really impressive. I kind of feel out of place, considering I'm already facing a barrier to my improvement in my first year. It… feels shitty think about." He admit.

Asui reached out, placing a large hand on his shoulder. "You aren't alone, Kirishima. Everyone… has feelings like that. We're all here at UA to help each other improve. Being heroes is a team effort."

Asui looked to Midoriya for confirmation. Izu, startled, nodded in an exaggerated manner. _That caught me off guard. Should I be offended she looked to me to back up that statement? Wait no, of course she'd look to me. She's comforting Kirishima and I'm the only other one here. Stop… thinking so negatively. I… should say something reassuring to Kirishima. We're friends!_

Before Izu could think of something, Kirishima spoke up. "Yeah. Yeah I get that, thanks Asui. I need more than words though. Both others words and my own. I need to prove it to myself with actions. I'm looking forward to the sports festival. I hope I can prove myself there to get at least some offers for internships. Being able to train one-on-one with a Pro who specifically requested me will help a lot. At least… I think it will."

"That's a good goal." Was all Izu could think to say. _Couldn't I have thought of something better to say? I sounded... so lame. Of course it's a good goal. I'm sure everyone feels like that._

Asui glanced down at their plates of food. They'd all long since finished. Deciding now was a good time to wrap up, she threw caution to the wind and went for a hail mary. "Can we exchange numbers?" She blurted out with wide eyes.

* * *

A/N: Please let me know what you think! All feedback is greatly appreciated.

I'm interested in finding a beta reader. If you're this far into the story, and want to give it a shot, send me a message here or add me on Discord (see my profile for my tag).


	14. In Motion

Izu laid in bed with her hands outstretched above her. The light from her phone screen made her squint slightly. The small device seemed especially bright when compared to the usual pitch blackness of her room. She'd been fawning over the few texts they'd exchanged as a group for quite a while now, constantly reading and rereading them.

~~~  
E. Kirishima: I made this group for us to talk in!

T. Asui: Sorry for asking you two so suddenly for your information. I didn't know when I would see you all next in private. Asking in front of others can cause awkward moments.

E. Kirishima: No it's fine! I was glad to get your numbers as well.

I. Midoriya: Yeah, I agree.

E. Kirishima: I'm part of a few groups like this through Line. Definitely a different crowd over there however.

E. Kirishima: Do you guys have Line?

T. Asui: I don't anymore. I used it briefly in Middle School, but didn't see the point when I can just text my friends.

I. Midoriya: Line is an instant-messaging app right? Social media type thing?

T. Asui: Yeah. It's pretty popular. There's more to it than just messaging. There's ways to share things about your day, you can join public communities, and some other stuff. Kirishima would probably know more than me.

E. Kirishima: You covered it pretty well, Asui.

I. Midoriya: So we're using this group to talk then? What should we talk about? I'm not very experienced with my phone.

E. Kirishima: Can talk about whatever really! Just imagine we're in person.

I. Midoriya: I'd rather not.

T. Asui: That's OK.

T. Asui: We can share thoughts and opinions with each other? Propose a question to hear feedback? Or just talk about class things.

I. Midoriya: I guess those are good ideas? I find it a lot easier to explain myself in text, so I can see myself using this group like that. Gives me time to plan out what I want to say. It's not as intimidating as being face to face.

T. Asui: That's honest of you. I'm glad you see the benefit of it!

E. Kirishima: "Ease of expression is of utmost importance"

T. Asui: Whose quote is that?

E. Kirishima: Dunno. I made it up. It's my quote then! Sounds smart though, right?

I. Midoriya: Haha. It does. It's true, too.

_She laughed!_ Asui and Kirishima thought simultaneously upon seeing Izu's text.

E. Kirishima: I had fun today. We should hang out again sometime soon!

I. Midoriya: Yeah?

T. Asui: Of course! It's late though, so I am going to check in for tonight.

E. Kirishima: Same. See you guys for tomorrow's training! Fridays are always exciting at UA!

I. Midoriya: Good night.

E. Kirishima: Peace.  
~~~

Izu let her hands fall downwards, letting her phone rest beside her. She finally closed her eyes, ready to try and fall asleep. _Texting… wasn't as intimidating as I thought it would be. I was so surprised when Asui asked for Kirishima and I's numbers. I… couldn't have imagined myself ever asking something like that. Even if we were all friends already. I'm excited to keep talking to them, though. It really is so much easier to say what I mean when I don't have to worry about… people._ She frowned, eyes still shut.

_Ugh even now I don't know how to phrase it. People aren't the problem. It's not like I blame them for my inability to express myself. Nor do I think that Kirishima or Asui are especially judgemental. Quite the opposite in fact. It's definitely a 'me problem'. But this is a temporary solution. I'm… excited to see where it goes._

~In Asui's room~

She was also in bed; curled under a multitude of different sheets and blankets to keep nice and warm. Frogs typically fell asleep quickly, so Asui rarely had time for pre-sleep thinking. Even so, she was unable to stop her mind from wandering.

_I asked them for their phone numbers! And they said yes!_ Her large round eyes, even while closed, scrunched up from her exaggerated smile. Her hands, both of which were also above average in size, covered her mouth in glee. Even in her own room, under countless blankets, in pitch blackness, she still couldn't help but hide her smile. She was just so _excited!_

_That was the longest string of sentences I've ever heard Midoriya say, too. Speaking in class for her must be hard… especially when it seems like she always has so much to say. Kirishima is nice, too. Even if he did kind of throw a wrench in my plans. I couldn't exactly ask him to leave, or ask Midoriya to dinner with him there. Oh well. The more the merrier I guess…!_

* * *

Izu absentmindedly floated through the early morning activities that always happened on Fridays. Aizawa would act as everyone's unscheduled alarm clock, knocking loudly on each door. They would all gather downstairs for a group lunch, then exit and head towards their destination for the day.

She still wasn't feeling 100% back to normal unfortunately. Her stomach still felt a bit queasy, and standing up too quickly gave her some intense vertigo. Before leaving her room, she experimented with how high she could comfortably push her Full-Cowling. She'd managed to reach 35% before her head started to throb. Thankfully she didn't experience any headaches or migraines outside of using Full-Cowling. _That would've really sucked. Big time._

1-A, all dressed in their gym uniforms, followed Aizawa outside of their dorms towards two large busses. Aizawa ushered them towards one of the busses, then crossed his arms as he waited for something. Off to the side a few dozen yards away, Izu could see Class 1-B was also congregating outside their dorm room, led by Vlad King.

Yaoyorozu raised her hand high. She waited a second, realizing that Aizawa was facing away from her. She walked over with quick steps to get closer to him as she put her hand down. Then, begrudgingly, she spoke up. "Busses? Where are we going today, Sensei?" She asked.

Aizawa turned to look at Yaoyorozu with tired, dreary eyes. He sighed as he came up with a suitable reply. "We're going to the USJ today. Thirteen and All Might, who are both already onsight, will give you all more information once we are there." He mumbled something afterwards, but it was too quiet to hear.

Yaoyorozu nodded as she turned away from Aizawa, looking over the class for Iida. She began talking with Iida, who was trying to organize the class into groups. Something about entering the bus in an orderly fashion… but he was having trouble maintaining the attention of the entire class.

Izu wasn't helping Iida's case. She was quietly muttering to herself, going over the 'key points' she intended to practice today when using her power. _First, I need to focus on switching the strength of Full-Cowling rapidly. Second, I need to pay close attention to the electricity surrounding my body. I've already determined, through experiments with water and fragile objects like tissue paper, that it's not 'real' electricity. It definitely won't burn anything if I'm moving, but when I'm not in motion it goes kind of wild. It's burned grass before, interestingly enough. Lastly…_

Somewhere deep within herself, Izu knew she had a third point. A very important one, not related to One For All. But... not one she felt ready to openly acknowledge yet, even just in her own thoughts. At the moment, even _thinking_ about... "it" was too much of a risk. Nezu pushing her on the issue didn't help. She hadn't had time to sit down and be honest with herself yet. So much has happened lately, and so much more was scheduled with no slow down in sight. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she looked towards the bus. Iida had successfully corralled most of 1-A onto the bus, and he was now gesturing in her direction.

The bus used an open layout which, much to Iida's chagrin, ruined his boarding plans. Everyone had filed onto the bus and simply took whichever seat was available. Izu did so on auto-pilot, not paying any attention to her surroundings. Asui stood around for a moment, watching the green haired mystery out of the corner of her eye. Seeing Izu sit down, looking dazed, Asui made her way over. She planted herself in the seat next to Izu, who gave no reaction. Taking a moment to look at the rest of the students and how they arranged themselves, Asui spotted Kirishima was sitting next to Bakugo. Asui looked at him for a few seconds until he took notice. He shot her a thumbs up and a small smirk upon noticing where Asui decided to sit.

_Midoriya sure does live in her own head…_ Asui noted.

The bus began its journey, and the class began a chorus of conversations. Asui, feeling awkward sitting next to a silent Midoriya, took out her phone and began typing away. A few seconds later, Izu's pocked vibrated.

_She keeps her phone on mute? Interesting_…

Considering how rare phone notifications were for her, Izu immediately snapped out of her trance. Fishing her phone out of her pocket, she tapped at it with a questioning look. Asui had texted her. Izu turned slightly to give the girl next to her a perplexed look. Asui was silently thankful for her frog-like face. That paired with her generally stoic demeanor meant she was quite good at holding a poker face when she wanted to. She stared out the window in front of her, pointedly ignoring Midoriya's glance.

~~~  
T. Asui: Whatcha thinking about?

Izu, having read the text, spent a number of seconds debating what her next action should be.

I. Midoriya: I was going over what I need to focus on during today's session.

T. Asui: You're very committed. Anything you feel like sharing? ^‿^

I. Midoriya: It's not very interesting, trust me. Just some specific things I need to keep track of.

T. Asui: If you say so. What do you think the USJ is, then?

I. Midoriya: I know it stands for 'Unforseen Simulation Joint'. I read about it in the student handbook.

T. Asui: Sounds like we'll be focusing on rescue today. 'Joint' is an interesting word choice for this place.

I. Midoriya: Is it? Like a Pizza Joint or something?

T. Asui: You could say that.

I. Midoriya: I guess they wanted it to fit the USJ acronym? Who knows.

I. Midoriya: Also why are we texting? You're sitting right next to me.

Izu shifted slightly in her seat, glancing at Asui again to make a point.

T. Asui: Idk. It felt like the right thing to do. You said you have an easier time expressing yourself when you can type it all out.

I. Midoriya: I did say that. Isn't this annoying for you, though?

T. Asui: You really don't have to worry about that. If this is how you're comfortable talking, then this is how we'll talk. No need to rush into anything.

T. Asui: But no. It's not annoying. I text my family often enough. I have two younger siblings.

I. Midoriya: You're being awfully patient with me. Is there a reason you're going out of your way like this?

Izu saw Asui smirk out of the corner of her eye as she tapped away at her phone.

T. Asui: I like making friends. A small accomodation like this is no problem if it means we can get to know each other.

Izu frowned as she read 'accomodation'. _Why do I need those around me to… accomodate me? That just feels… wrong._ Her phone beeped again.

T. Asui: And again, two younger siblings.

I. Midoriya: Um. Thank you? Though I don't know what I did to warrant this.

T. Asui: Think of it as an ongoing investment in friendship. Who knows, eventually this won't be necessary.

Again Izu cringed as her eyes darted over 'necessary'.

I. Midoriya: Well what do you want to know then?

T. Asui: Huh?

I. Midoriya: You said we should get to know each other.

T. Asui: Oh. Right I did.

T. Asui: What's your favorite color?

I. Midoriya: Green?

T. Asui: That makes sense. Green is a good color. We're both green.

T. Asui: Okay another question. One moment, I need to think of a better one.

I. Midoriya: Sorry I didn't mean to make this hard on you. I can think of some questions.

T. Asui: No it's fine! I usually prepare for things like this beforehand. I'm not the best spontaneous conversationalist.

I. Midoriya: I sympathize with you there.

T. Asui: ^‿^

I. Midoriya: Who is your favorite Hero?

T. Asui: I don't know. It's hard to decide things like that on the spot. I can't exactly take back my answer after I've given it. Favorite is pretty definitive.

I. Midoriya: In that case uh…

T. Asui: No superlatives!

I. Midoriya: Superlative?

T. Asui: Best, worst, favorite, least favorite. Those types of questions.

I. Midoriya: Um

I. Midoriya: How tall are you?

Izu turned to look at Asui again. _She slouches all the time. She also bends her knees when standing…_

T. Asui: I'm 5ft 3. I think. I definitely look shorter though because of my posture.

I. Midoriya: Doesn't that hurt your back? I'm 5ft by the way… also short.

T. Asui: We can be short together!

T. Asui: And actually the opposite. It's oddly strenuous to keep my back straight. Something frog related, probably.

I. Midoriya: Oh. Do you have a favorite frog?

I. Midoriya: Is that a weird question to ask you?

I. Midoriya: Wait we aren't doing favorites. Nevermind.

Asui snickered as she read over Midoriya's rapid-fire texts.

T. Asui: Haha that's fine. It's an easy question to answer. It's not weird. My favorite frog is the Glass Frog.  
~~~

Their conversation had to be put on hold, as Aizawa's commanding tone demanded their attention. "Everyone off the bus, we're here. Line up outside and wait for further instruction."

* * *

Class 1-A and 1-B gathered outside their buses and organized themselves. Some students briefly intermingled, exchanging greetings and other pleasantries from one class to another. Despite being sister classes, they didn't get to work with each other all that often. At least not so much in the first couple weeks of school. Aizawa and Vlad King were talking off to the side, and Vlad King made a point to repeatedly tap his wrist.

He leaned forward, speaking to Aizawa in a hushed tone. "What's the point of them serving as bodyguards if we arrived here before them? Wouldn't now be the perfect time to catch us off guard?"

Aizawa simply shrugged in response, keeping a watchful eye on the tree lines around them. There was no point in panicking now, especially since all they could do was wait.

Izu watched the two teachers carefully, wondering what they were up to. _He's upset? Is something wrong? Could just be how he acts. I've never really interacted or seen Vlad King for more than a few seconds at a time._ Some whispering nearby caught her attention. Many students were in awe over the massive building that stood in front of them. The absolutely gargantuan USJ was circular in shape, with a curved dome ceiling. This was by far the biggest singular building they'd seen at UA thus far. Izu did a quick 360. All around them was forest. Aside from the landmark USJ building and the road they arrived here on, the land looked almost entirely untouched.

After several minutes of standing around, and Vlad King letting everyone know how frustrated he was, an odd humming permeated throughout the area. A dazzling silvery blue light distorted a large area nearby and, after a dim flash, fifteen people materialized in an instant. Izu immediately recognized most of them. _Pros. From monday._ She knew most of them by their hero names, but there were a select few she hadn't seen or heard of before. She spotted Mirko among the group and their eyes briefly met. Mirko shot her a devilish smile. Izu quickly looked away, embarrassed.

Giddy chatter enveloped both first year classes as the Pros made their way over to the two UA teachers. The group of Pros had a quick discussion led by Aizawa and Vlad King, after which seven of them made their way towards the USJ ahead of everyone else. _Some are leaving ahead of us?_ Izu watched the backs of the first group get farther and farther away until she noticed the rest of the Pros, Vlad King, and Aizawa approaching. Just behind Aizawa was a blue haired woman dressed in an elaborate blue kimono. _I recognize her from when we were underground. She's the one who can teleport people._

The woman in question seemed to wear an eternally paranoid expression. Her eyes never stopped darting around, always searching for danger. As the group of veterans got closer, Iida raised a hand and spoke up. "Sensei! I was unaware that we would have additional observers for this lesson! Could you inform us what they will be looking out for?" His arms waved in wide arcs in tandem with his small speech.

Aizawa spared Iida a glance, but turned more to address the two classes as a whole. "They are here more for me and Vlad King. They will be observing you, yes, but more so because we need trained eyes to watch you and feed us usable information, rather than directly critiquing you themselves. We cannot be everywhere at once." Aizawa gestured towards himself and Vlad King.

"Make no mistake, today is nothing more than a tour of the facility." Aizawa gestured towards the building. "It was logical to have both classes receive the tour at the same time so we don't have to explain the different terrains more than once. Take notes if you have to, though you will undoubtedly become familiar with the USJ over the months."

Deciding to leave the specifics to Thirteen, Aizawa finished his explanation. He stealthily bit the inside of his cheek as he made an effort to control his expression. Even though he was normally a very controlled and low-key person, Aizawa hated lying. It always got to him.

Well, half lying. Lying by omission? His answer to Iida's question was truthful, that was _partially_ why the Pros were here. _In reality they're more here to serve as glorified bodyguards. The USJ is huge, and we don't have the numbers in UA's faculty to watch each student group adequately. Normally such precautions would be unnecessary, but… the recent breach has everyone on edge. Nezu acknowledged that this would be the perfect time to strike at UA's student body, considering how spread out we will be. Each simulated terrain area is as big as multiple football fields. The building itself has to be so comically large in order to house all six different terrains._

A few of the sharper students in both classes noticed some contradiction in Aizawa's response. _Why are so many Pros present for a tour? Aizawa specifically stated we won't be doing any actual training today. They're in full costume too…_ Izu noted.

Nevertheless Aizawa motioned for 1-A to follow him. Vlad King followed suit with 1-B, as the Pros manned the back of the large group of first years.

Izu lagged behind her class slightly, as she almost always did. She heard some loud footsteps quickly approaching her, and Izu steeled herself for what was to come.

"Hey kid." Mirko greeted as she got close.

Izu glanced back, holding her head low. Unsure how to respond, she gave Mirko a weak wave. "H-Hi." Now closer to her, Izu truly noticed the bunny hero's appearance. _Her hero… costume? Is very revealing. Oh my god!_ She quickly averted her eyes as a blush bloomed on her face. Mirko's costume consisted of a white leotard. It was decorated with various designs of blue and yellow around her chest and… hips. The aim was to seemingly accentuate her more… obvious… assets?

Mirko quickly approached, resting a hand on Izu's shoulder. Izu noticeably tensed at the contact. "Listen, All Might told me what happened on monday. There's no need for you to be all bothered by it." She said, hoping to sound comforting.

Izu's mind froze and her heart rate spiked. Thankfully her body managed to keep walking with her class, seemingly on its own. _She knows what happened? Wait, All Might knows?! Did Nezu tell them?!_

The shorter girl's face was hidden, making her hard to read, and Mirko already found her silence slightly off putting. She continued, "I had no idea your Quirk could have such serious drawbacks if you pushed yourself that hard. I guess it makes sense that you were going all out." Her hands went to her hips and she let out a loud, triumphant laugh. "You seriously impressed me with your speed and power, kid!"

Thankfully Izu's mind managed to process what Mirko had said. _She doesn't know._ Izu determined. _Or at least, if All Might does know, he lied to her._ Izu thought back to her rather uncomfortable conversation with Nezu. _He did promise me he wouldn't tell anyone anything… unless it continued to be a problem. Nezu… doesn't lie._

Izu shook her head to reset her thoughts. With a deep breath, she turned to properly address her new mentor… only to once again be startled by her appearance. Mirko considered herself quite adept at reading people, and she was quickly beginning to get a hold on Izu Midoriya's character. She noticed the quick aversion of her eyes. Her smirk returned once again full force.

"T-Thank you? I… I shouldn't have done what I did though. I ended up missing so many days of training because... All Might told me to try and win all my battles from now on. So that's what I did." Izu, seemingly satisfied with her explanation, looked up at Mirko for a response.

The bunny heroine wore a confused expression as she mulled over the girls words. _Huh? Why is she confused?_ Izu thought, going over what she just said.

Izu continued. "Um! I should specify that I'm not blaming All Might! I just—"

"You worry a lot." Mirko interrupted. Her face was oddly sullen, almost sad. Their eyes met, and Izu was surprised at how much care she could see in her gaze. "I didn't think you were blaming All Might." She shrugged her shoulders. "You said you wanted to try and win? You put up a hell of a fight!" Mirko bumped Izu's shoulder with a fist. "Be proud, kid."

It was Izu's turn to be confused. "But… I didn't come close to victory."

Mirko sped up, turning to walk backwards in front of Izu. "Maybe not. Listen, I'm not the best with words, but maybe over the next week I can put into perspective what you did on Monday." She reached forward, poking Izu in the shoulder. "I was very impressed. All Might was too. You two have a history, right? So I'm sure you already know what he thinks."

Izu nodded, unsure where Mirko was going with this. _She's very physical._ Izu noted, remembering all the little proddings Mirko's done in the short conversation they'd had thus far.

Mirko followed up, adding on with a grin. "Just watch me over this next week. You're smart. I have faith you'll see what I mean." With that, she spun around to once again walk forwards.

Izu nodded again, still not fully understanding what Mirko was alluding to. Though she did have a question, and jumped on the opportunity since she was seeing Mirko again sooner than expected. "Um. How should I address you?"

Mirko craned her neck to look backwards. "Huh? Didn't we go over this already? Of all things to worry over…" She shrugged. "I don't care. Call me whatever. 'Rumi', 'Usagi', 'Usagiyama', 'Mirko'." She paused to think for a moment, then leapt on an opportunity to see Izu squirm. "Some fans, mostly guys, call me 'Babe', or 'Hot stuff'. I'm all for being called names like that, if you prefer…" She tried to look as sultry as possible, while still being 'technically' appropriate to UA's standards. _Hey, Midnight gets to walk around doing shit like this! I'd like to see someone call me out on my little imitations!_

Izu looked at the ground as she debated with herself. _She's letting me pick a name? This… could be good practice with being less formal._ Still not looking up, Izu quietly mumbled out. "I'll just go with Rumi."

Rumi snickered. "That's unexpectedly bold of you. In that case... you're Izu!"

* * *

~A few weeks ago, inside Nezu's office~

"How was your previous mission, Hanayama?" Nezu inquired as he sipped from his small teacup, hoping to make some small talk with the blue haired woman in front of him.

"Fine. You know I can't go into much detail." Hanayama responded.

"Of course of course. Ignore my rampant curiosity. I—"

"I always try to." She drawled.

"Mmm. I can see that." He paused, raising his eyebrows as he expected a retort from the woman. When she gave none, Nezu resumed. "Obviously our meetings are usually quick and concise. So… Do you have any questions or concerns?" He folded his hands, resting them on his desk.

The woman in question, Mai Hanayama, stood still as a statue in the center of Nezu's office. Despite being offered a seat, she opted to remain standing. Her arms were crossed in front of herself protectively, and she wore a harsh expression. The wide sleeves of her blue Kimono laid flat against her front, the designs clashed with one another as they didn't line up. Her scrunched cheeks paired with her eternally narrowed eyes made her look quite intimidating.

"None for the task you've given me." She answered. "But I am wondering if you plan to renew our contract once this is over? It is of no concern to me either way, due to all the competition."

Nezu was surprised. "Would it be a problem if not?"

"I said it is of 'no concern'. Meaning I don't care." She repeated.

"Indeed you did." Nezu rubbed his chin. _She never fails to catch me off guard with these responses of hers. I'm not used to her level of bluntness._ "When would you need to know by? We have you for the rest of the first semester. So… about three more months." He tapped a folder on his desk to accentuate his point. He nodded at her. _Your contract._

"The halfway mark. Six weeks from now. Need to know when I am to start sifting through other offers. UA's competition is getting more bold with their offers, you know." She shifted her weight from one foot to the other as well as crossing and uncrossing her arms, flipping their positions.

_Six weeks. That should be more than enough time._ "Six weeks is fine. I will let you know before then if we plan to renew."

Hanayama shrugged her shoulders in response. The aura of nonchalance around her was thick and obvious. "Fine." Their eyes met, and Nezu fully took in how bored she looked. "Adjourned?" She asked.

Caught thinking, he took a moment to respond. Hanayama tapped her foot on the ground, her nonexistent patience had already run out. Nezu's eyes snapped upwards. "Oh! Of course. Please be on your way." He gestured towards her dismissively, hoping the tone of his voice would appease her.

She gave no reaction. After a split second of glowing, the woman vanished into nothingness, leaving silvery sparkles in her wake that quickly dissipated.

Nezu, in a rare moment of pettiness, rolled his eyes at the spot where the woman once stood. "Your usefulness _barely_ manages to counteract how insufferable you are, Hanayama. It's obvious why you're not a Hero." He rubbed his face with both hands. "It also doesn't help that you account for just over 20% of the schools ENTIRE budget. I swear, anyone who works for any Government gets to be like her. In their own league of snootiness and self importance." Nezu lifted himself out of his chair and walked over to the other, completely ignored, teacup he had set up prior to this recently finalized meeting. _I'd forgotten she never accepts anything remotely food related. I guess she survives off her overly cautious nature, though._ Gathering the tea set up, Nezu exited the room to put everything away.

A few seconds after his departure, a deep purple swirl dripping a dark fog appeared just above Nezu's desk. A pale, cracked arm emerged from the small circle. It gripped the folder left sitting on the desk with two fingers, before raising it up through the swirling purple void. A few seconds passed before the folder, in identical fashion, was lowered back through the hole. The hand adjusted it slightly, hoping to leave it exactly as it was found. Then, as quickly as it appeared, the hand and purple swirl vanished.

Nezu reentered the room a minute later. Positioning himself behind his desk as usual, he glanced at the folder with inquisitive eyes. _Did the pages always stick out diagonally?_ He spent only a moment thinking about the matter, quickly deciding it was not important enough to waste time on. He quickly stashed the folder away in one of the many filing cabinets. Nezu had many important, and stressful, matters to think on at the moment.

~Same time, in a bar somewhere~

"Let me see the photos, Kurogiri."

Foregoing a reply, the man clad in dark purple smoke simply extended a phone forwards. Shigaraki carefully gripped the phone with four fingers, holding it in front of himself. He used a finger from his other hand to swipe across the screen. They'd managed to photograph all six pages in the folder. He quickly read over all of them.

The young man's wicked smile grew as he read over each page. Seeing this, Kurogiri spoke up. "Tomura, what news have you discovered?"

"Contact Master. Right away."

* * *

"It was a good decision to hold back. I'm glad you followed my instructions not to alert her of our presence, Tomura." A man, wearing a gritty metal mask covered in tubes, praised his ward.

"She was a well kept secret." Was Tomura's simple response. "Are you going to deal with her? Should I?"

The man chuckled. "Approaching one such as her is not so simple. Teleportation Quirk's, especially one as fast as hers, must be carefully planned around." He glanced at the portal Tomura arrived through.

Tomura followed his masters direction, looking at the portal. "Kurogiri? You demonstrated how he would be overpowered. Speed is the answer."

"Yes, indeed. Kurogiri is not a perfect warp, however. He takes around 0.75 seconds to create a portal capable of transporting a person, yes? When panicked, I've no doubt that this… Mai Hanayama is capable of near instant teleportation. Even if only on herself."

Tomura didn't reply initially. He glanced at the Doctor sitting a few feet away, then turned back to his Master. "What will you do then?"

"For now? Watch. Observe." The man answered.

"We couldn't hire her? That would be an easy way to bait her in." Tomura questioned.

"Her clientele is exclusive, as I'm sure you saw. The wealthy elite. Governments around the world. And… prestigious academies." He raised an open hand, clenching it into a fist as he finished his sentence. "One such as us couldn't hope to get into formal contact with her. No."

"Then…" Tomura urged his Master to continue.

"Her existence is an issue, yes. She is one of the stepping stones you will have to overcome eventually, assuming we do not deal with her so soon."

"Another thorn in my side…" He growled. A dry hand slowly raised up to the base of his neck, eager to scratch.

"Leave me, Tomura. I have much to discuss with Dr. Ujiko." He waved his hand towards the still open portal.

Tomura nodded, giving no response. He quietly made his way through the portal, returning to the bar. As Kurogiri's portal vanished, quiet footsteps approached the chair the masked man was confined to.

The man reached up, undoing a few latches on the base of his mask. "What do you think, Doctor?"

The Dr. wasted no time. "She is a magnificent specimen! Teleportation Quirks are so incredibly rare. Especially one as versatile and powerful as this Hanayama's! We must look into her parents and relatives, when possible." The enthusiasm in his voice was obvious. Genuine excitement was a rarity in this gloomy lab of theirs, but always welcome. "All For One, we must plan for her capture. The documents Tomura copied tell of the end of her contract with UA."

All For One finished unlatching his mask. He slowly lifted it off his head, revealing a wicked smile. The bottom of where his eyes would be tilted upwards in unadulterated excitement. His facial muscles struggled to properly express the emotions coursing through him. "Indeed she is a rarity. I can barely remember the last time I saw a power I wanted… NEEDED to steal so desperately." He shifted in his seat, sitting forwards slightly. "But we must be careful."

"Of course, Master. It is a shame the documents did not have details of her Quirks specifics. Though I am not surprised."

All For One nodded in agreement. "The time will come for her capture. For now, we can let Tomura experiment. So long as the woman thinks we are interested in UA instead of her…" All For One tapped his fingers rhythmically on the armrest of his metal chair. "Though I am interested to see his reaction to her. She will undoubtedly ruin his upcoming plans."

"You are not worried about his safety?" Ujiko questioned.

"I am, of course. But so long as Kurogiri is by his side, I am not worried about Tomura's capture. Kurogiri has been instructed to extricate themselves, by force if need be, if things don't look to be going their way." All For One turned to 'look' at Ujiko, giving him an oddly warm smile. "You should have more faith in your creations, Doctor"

Ujiko bowed his head. "There are few creations I am truly proud of. But I thank you for your unending praise."

* * *

AN:

Shorter chapter in preparation for… a much longer and (hopefully) exciting one. Also yes, 1-A and 1-B are both at USJ. ^‿^

Reminder that the last joint scene took place "a couple of weeks ago". Some time before the current lesson at the USJ, which is what AFO was referring to when he mentioned Tomuras 'upcoming plans'. (Minor spoilers of next chapter. Oh well)

Woah elaboration on my first true OC. She won't be part of the main cast, so don't expect her to show up in more 'fluff' chapters. At the moment she's serving more as a plot device to drive and complicate some other events. Details of her power will come when appropriate.

Eventually I will move away from using "I. Midoriya", "E. Kirishima", and "T. Asui" for the text message parts. When they eventually decide to give each other names in their phones!


End file.
